San Diego (CNS) – A Pacific Beach resident pleaded guilty to federal drug charges for selling fentanyl powder and causing the death of a man overdose. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Maya Kol, 42, admitted to buying fentanyl, which he initially believed to be cocaine, and later sold it to several people even though he tried the substance and became ill.

The prosecutor said that on September 7, 2018, Kol provided victims who were only identified as JE, JH and LS with half a gram of powder and told them that it was cocaine. Later that day, LS contacted Kol for help. When Kol arrived at the apartment shared by LS and JH, all three victims did not respond.

The 47-year-old JE died on the same day, JH was hospitalized, and LS was admitted the next day due to lingering symptoms.

The prosecutor said that Cole flushed his remaining fentanyl collection into the toilet of his home to hide evidence, but the authorities that searched the house did find more than $5,000 in cash and items indicating drug sales.

Kol’s defense lawyer seeking a 10-year term argued in court documents that Kol “did not know” that the drug contained fentanyl, or that fentanyl was the cause of his illness, and then “panicly” realized that it must be the drug. He and killed JE

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, JE’s death was one of three drug overdose deaths that occurred in Pacific Beach on Labor Day weekend in 2018. The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that the person who sold fentanyl to Kol was one of the dead.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, fentanyl-related deaths are “rapidly climbing to unprecedented levels,” and the San Diego County Office of Forensic Medicine predicts that the number of such deaths will increase by 50% from 2020 to 2021.

US Acting Attorney Randy Grossman (Randy Grossman) said: “Many people die because of dealers like Kol. They know what they are doing is extremely dangerous, but they do it anyway.” They care about their customers. They care about money. As this tragedy shows, illegal drugs containing fentanyl are deadly.”

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