Michael Reis, Fentanyl Distribution Resulting in Death, Nebraska 2024

A federal jury has convicted Michael Reis, 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, of distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 4-year-old child.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Reis was found guilty of distributing fentanyl that resulted in death, a crime that carries a mandatory minimum term of 20 years in prison.

The charges against Reis stem from a March 2022 incident in which deputies from the Douglas County Sheriff's Office responded to an unresponsive 4-year-old at the Aspen Grove apartment complex.

Upon arrival, deputies began CPR until an ambulance could take the child to Children's Hospital and Medical Center, where the child was later pronounced dead due to fentanyl toxicity.

An investigation by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration revealed that Reis had sold pills to the child's mother, including a fatal dose of fentanyl on March 12, 2022.

Messages found in Reis's phone showed that he delivered a pill to the child's mother and received digital payment from her.

'I am immensely proud of the team efforts of our DCSO Deputies and our local and federal partners in law enforcement, as well as the U.S. Attorney's Office, to bring justice to [this child],' said Douglas County Sheriff Aaron Hanson.

Sentencing for Reis is set for January 9, 2024. The penalties for distributing fentanyl resulting in death include a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

Reis has a second federal case in which he pled guilty to sex trafficking of a minor. Sentencing for that matter is set for December 5, 2024. The penalties for sex trafficking a minor include a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, with a maximum sentence of life.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ne/pr/jury-convicts-omaha-man-selling-fentanyl-resulted-death-four-year-old