Fake Pills Containing Fentanyl Kill Two In PA. Seller Sentenced To 18 Years

August, 2017

As reported by Lehigh Valley News, Brianna Burns, a 24-year-old Bucks County, PA woman will spend up to 18 years in jail for selling counterfeit pills containing synthetic opioids that ended up killing two people. The fake pills looked like Percocet but contained fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl. Justin Eschenburg, 30, and William Grzyminski, 26, both died in their homes after ingesting the pills.

Despite having heard about their deaths, Burns continued selling the pills. According to the Bucks County District Attorney, an undercover state trooper arrested Burns two weeks later. Court records show that at the time of her arrest, she admitted to hearing about the deaths of Eschenburg and Grzyminski and to purchasing 30 blue pills in Camden shortly before their deaths. She told police when she sold the pills, she warned the victims, “to be careful because she had not felt right after taking (the) pills…”

The presiding judge and deputy district attorney both expressed outrage at her actions. Judge Raymond F. McHugh said that for Burns to continue selling drugs “after you know that people have died because of your conduct is difficult to fathom.” Deputy District Attorney Christopher W. Rees said, “She was simply willing to deal death for $30 per pill. She was aware of the potential side effects… but she didn’t care.”

The Pennsylvania State Police investigated, and Deputy District Attorneys Thomas C. Gannon and Christopher W. Rees prosecuted the case. Safemedicines.org