EVANSVILLE, Ind. — A 20-year-old man from Evansville, Indiana, will spend the next two decades in prison for dealing fentanyl, resulting in the death of a teen and serious bodily injury to at least two others.
Jeremial Lee Leach was sentenced to 20 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, one count of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to court documents, Leach advertised fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills over Snapchat to hundreds of people using the alias "Mel." He is responsible for least three overdoses, one of which resulted in the death of a 19-year-old.
In June 2022, Evansville Police officers responded to an overdose in a home on Wedeking Avenue. Officers revived a woman at that residence with naloxone.
Later that same day, officers responded to the same residence for the overdose of another woman who was just nineteen years old. Emergency crews could not revive her and she unfortunately died.
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Following the fatal overdose, the coroner found a counterfeit oxycodone pill containing fentanyl on the nineteen-year-old's person. The cause for both overdoses was determined to be fentanyl intoxication.
Investigators found messages between the victim and Leach in which they discussed a transaction for the purchase of the pills identified as "blues," Leach gave her his address and confirmed the price for the pills.
In August 2022, Evansville officers were dispatched to a restaurant on Hirschland Road where they found a woman sitting on the ground in the parking lot losing consciousness.
An officer administered naloxone and the woman suffering from an overdose regained consciousness. The woman told medical personnel she took a 30 mg tablet of Oxycodone and the woman's companion identified Leach as the supplier of the pill and his address as the location of purchase.
In October 2022, investigators with the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force saw Leach participate in two apparent drug deals at his residence. The buyers left separately in a Kia Optima and Hyundai Tuscon. Shortly after, law enforcement stopped both vehicles after observing traffic violations.
During the stop of the vehicles, investigators located three blue pills marked “M30” inside the Kia and six blue pills marked “M30” inside the Tucson. One of the boys in the buyer’s car later stated that his dealer’s name was “Mel.”
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Later that day, officers executed a search warrant at Leach’s residence. Leach walked out of the front entrance and was taken into custody by detectives. Some of the items located and seized during the search included 33 blue pills marked “30,” a digital scale, two 9mm pistols, and approximately $1,843 in cash.
The pills seized during the two traffic stops and from Leach’s residence were submitted for laboratory analysis and tested positive for fentanyl.
“This young woman should be alive today. Mr. Leach pushed deadly poison over social media, ending a teenager’s life far too early, and risking many more,” Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said. “Fentanyl traffickers commit their crimes with utter disregard for the lives of our friends and neighbors or the harm they cause to families in our community. I commend the outstanding work of the DEA, the Evansville Police Department, the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, and our federal prosecutors to secure some measure of justice for the victims of this fentanyl dealer. The sentence imposed here should serve as a warning: these poisons kill—and selling them will earn you decades in federal prison.”
“The sentence imposed on Mr. Leach is righteous and justified. Mr. Leach utilized social media platforms to advertise the sale of fentanyl and continued distributing the poisonous fentanyl even though it had already caused fatal and near fatal overdoses. The DEA would like to extend their deepest condolences to the Duncan family and all families who have lost a loved one to a fentanyl poising,” DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Mike Gannon, said. “DEA remains committed to working hand in hand with our state, local and federal partners in order to keep our communities safe. DEA commends the outstanding work by the Evansville Police Department, The Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force and the United States Attorney’s Office.”
DEA, Evansville Police Department, and the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young.
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