Bags of fentanyl pills. Courtesy Drug Enforcement Administration
A San Diego man pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal distribution of fentanyl count for selling a laced oxycodone pill to a 15-year-old Coronado High School sophomore, leading to the teen’s death.
Kaylar Junior Tawan Beltranlap, 21, admitted to selling a counterfeit oxycodone pill that led to the May 12, 2021, death of the victim, identified as C.J.S. in court documents.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Beltranlap warned C.J.S. to take only half of the pill because it was “strong.”
Beltranlap was arrested soon after the teen’s death, at which point prosecutors say he was found with five more pills, which were also laced with fentanyl.
“C.J.S.’s tragic death must not be in vain,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “We need to continue to educate our middle- and high-school- age children about the dangers of counterfeit fentanyl pills.”
Beltranlap was indicted by a federal grand jury last year and is set to be sentenced in September.
“C.J.S. was a child and a member of our community,” said Coronado Police Chief Chuck Kaye. “We know this will not make the family whole but we appreciate the multi-agency collaboration that went into holding this offender accountable.”
–City News Service, Inc.