Fentanyl Dealer Gets 15 Years for Santee Teen’s OD

SAN DIEGO, CA – Olatunde James Temitope Akintonde, 23, of El Cajon, is headed to federal prison for 15 years after admitting he peddled the fentanyl-laced pills that killed 19-year-old S.J.G. of Santee in March 2019. The sentence, handed down today in federal court, sends a brutal message to those profiting from poison in our streets.

According to court records, Akintonde arranged the deal through social media, promising the victim what he believed were oxycodone pills. On February 28, 2019, Akintonde delivered two counterfeit pills laced with the deadly synthetic opioid. He even warned S.J.G. to only take one, acknowledging their potency – a pathetic attempt to mitigate his guilt that clearly failed. S.J.G. died sometime that night or the following morning.

The investigation, led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the San Diego Sheriff’s Department, quickly zeroed in on Akintonde. Evidence revealed he wasn’t just a one-time dealer. He actively advertised various prescription pills on social media, flaunting firearms in photos and even posting songs glorifying drug distribution. This wasn’t a mistake; it was a business built on death.

“There is an epidemic of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills in our community,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “To be clear: If you are a drug dealer selling pills, and those pills result in death, you will be held accountable for that death. It is no defense to say you didn’t know the pills contained fentanyl.” Grossman rightfully called out the callous disregard for human life demonstrated by dealers like Akintonde.

DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Shelly S. Howe emphasized the agency’s commitment to tackling the overdose crisis in San Diego County. “We are committed to bringing drug dealers like Olatunde James Temitope Akintonde, who poison our communities, to justice,” Howe said. The DEA’s Narcotics Task Force Team 10, created specifically to address the surge in overdose deaths, played a crucial role in the investigation.

Akintonde was sentenced on the charge of Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 18, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1). The maximum penalty for this crime is twenty years in prison. This case, a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, and the DEA, serves as a stark warning: deal death, and you will face the consequences. Case Number 21cr1178-JLS.

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