Medina Sentenced to 19+ Years for Fatal Fentanyl Sales

Jamestown man Steven Mojica Medina, 36, will spend the next 19+ years behind bars after a federal judge handed down a 235-month sentence for his role in the distribution of heroin and fentanyl that led to the deaths of two individuals.

The grim consequences of Medina’s actions were laid bare in court documents, which revealed that the 36-year-old had provided the fatal substances to two separate individuals, J.H. and J.T., just weeks apart in 2018.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, J.H. fatally overdosed on August 30, 2018, after ingesting a mixture of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, which Medina had provided just before his death. Just a week later, J.T. also succumbed to a fatal overdose after ingesting a substance containing heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl, which had been provided by Medina to a third party.

Medina’s involvement with the illicit substances was first uncovered in December 2020, when the Jamestown Police Department conducted controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from him. A subsequent search of his residence turned up two loaded firearms, a drug ledger, and nearly two grams of fentanyl.

A year later, in November 2021, Medina was pulled over by police and found to be in possession of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, six magazines, and 167 rounds of 9mm ammunition, as well as 24 wrapped baggies of crack cocaine weighing 3.8 grams. Medina’s prior felony conviction in Chautauqua County Court in 2015 also made him legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

The U.S. Attorney’s office credited the Jamestown Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their tireless efforts in bringing Medina to justice. “The sentence handed down today is a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross. “We will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt and dismantle the networks of individuals like Medina who profit from the sale of deadly narcotics.”

The case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of the opioid epidemic and the critical role that law enforcement plays in keeping our communities safe. As Medina begins his lengthy prison sentence, the families of J.H. and J.T. can finally find some measure of justice and closure.

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