Marcus Randall, Distribution of Fentanyl, California 2020

FRESNO, Calif. - A federal grand jury revealed a dark secret in the Central Valley, handing down a one-count indictment against Marcus Randall, 37, of Bakersfield, charging him with distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents, on December 16, 2020, Randall sold fentanyl pills to a victim who later ingested the pills, resulting in her overdose death.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Secret Service, the Bakersfield Police Department, Kern County Probation Department, and the California Highway Patrol.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie L. Alsworth is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Randall faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/bakersfield-man-indicted-distributing-fentanyl