Christopher Glenn Emison, Fentanyl Distribution, California 2020

A San Diego man was sentenced to 14 years in prison for his role in a fentanyl distribution ring that resulted in the death of a 45-year-old man in 2019.

Christopher Glenn Emison, 35, of El Cajon, was sentenced to 168 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia on October 23, 2020, for distributing more than 40 grams of fentanyl, including the fentanyl that caused the death of Derrick Hotchkiss.

On April 11, 2019, Hotchkiss, a former rugby player, overdosed on fentanyl and died at his home in San Diego. Law enforcement officials recovered Hotchkiss’ cellular telephone and located a text message exchange between Emison and Hotchkiss indicating that the defendant sold fentanyl to Hotchkiss the night before his death.

Emison was arrested on April 11, 2019, and a search of his residence yielded 11.6 grams of fentanyl, 95.6 grams of heroin residue, a loaded Ruger .357 Magnum revolver, and a ‘butane honey oil’ extraction laboratory.

In imposing sentence, Judge Battaglia said, ‘Dealing in drugs is dangerous. Dealing in fentanyl is deadly.’

U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer praised Emison’s conviction, saying, ‘This case and the fact that deadly fentanyl continues to ravage our community, taking more than 300 lives this year alone in San Diego County, demonstrates the urgent need to hold these dealers of death accountable for their actions.’

The Old Aztecs Rugby Football Club, where Hotchkiss played, noted that ‘Saturdays won’t be the same; he was a large man with a heart to match.’

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