Assistant U.S. Attorneys Owen Roth and Lawrence A. Casper (619) 546-7710

San Diego - San Diego resident Brandon Jacob Shepherd (Brandon Jacob Shepherd) was sentenced to thirteen years and eleven years by the Federal Court today for selling fentanyl to the death of an 18-year-old San Diego woman. Months of imprisonment, recognized as PER in court records, January 2020. Before being transferred to a federal detention facility, he received a one-month detention credit for his service in a local facility, for a total of 168 months.

Shepard previously admitted that on the evening of January 14, 2020, he agreed to coordinate with co-defendant Leon Chester Colin III to sell fentanyl to the victims. That night, Shepherd sold a gram of fentanyl to PER and Kolin for $100 or $120 in the hotel room where Shepherd was staying, to distribute the fentanyl. After the sale, Shepherd inhaled fentanyl with PER and Kolin; PER overdose at the time, but did not die. Kolin brought PER home, along with fentanyl resin provided by Shepherd. After PER left, Shepherd told a friend that she almost "falled down", which meant she almost died. A few days later, PER ingested some fentanyl resin provided by Shepherd, overdose and died. She was only eighteen years old when she died.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents and task force officials led the investigation into the death of PER and determined that Shepherd was the source of fentanyl. Investigators then searched Shepard's hotel room. There, they found packages containing fentanyl powder, fake blue "M30" pills mixed with fentanyl, digital scales with fentanyl residues, cash and unused plastic bags. They also found and arrested co-defendants Anthony Gascon and Christopher Barksdale, and Shepherd participated in an ongoing fentanyl distribution plan with them. The two defendants and Colin were sentenced before today.

 "Sadly, fentanyl once again stifled the bright and hopeful future of our community, and her family will always feel her loss," said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. "The office will continue to actively pursue and prosecute anyone who peddles this poison for profit or even further drug use. If someone dies from the fentanyl you provided, we will use all the tools we can use to hold you accountable. Grossman praised the outstanding work done by prosecutors Owen Ross and Lawrence Casper, the Narcotics Enforcement Administration's Anti-Drug Task Force10, and officials from cooperating states and federal agencies in this case.

"The United States just recorded the highest number of deaths from drug overdose in 12 months, with more than 100,000 Americans killed," said Shelly S. Howe, DEA's acting special agent. "People like Brandon Shepard are fueling the drug epidemic. His sentence today sent a stark reminder that if you choose to sell drugs and risk the lives of others, you will be held accountable."

"Removing these dangerous and often deadly drugs from the streets is HSI's top priority because it is essential to prevent additional overdose deaths in our community," said Chad Plantz, the special agent in charge of HSI San Diego. "I am very proud of the success of our HSI agents and law enforcement partners' investigations and making our communities safer."

This case is the result of continuous efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Homeland Security Investigation Agency, the FBI, the San Diego Police Department, and the California Department of Health Care Services to investigate and prosecute drug distribution. Dangerous illegal drugs—especially fentanyl—can lead to overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration established a Narcotics Task Force10 to respond to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County. Agents from Team 10 participated in the investigation of the death of PER.

Defendant case number 20-CR-810-BAS                                            

Brandon Jacob Shepherd Age: 26, San Diego, California

Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl-21 U.S.C. Sections 841(a) and (b)(1)(C)

Maximum penalty: 20 years imprisonment

Distribution of Fentanyl-Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1)

Maximum penalty: 20 years imprisonment

Conspiring to dispense 40 grams or more of fentanyl-Section 841(a) and (b)(1)(B) of section 21 of the United States Code

The minimum penalty is 5 years and the maximum penalty is 40 years imprisonment

California Department of Health Care Services

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