Drug dealers can now be charged in overdose deaths of those they sell to

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Drugs that are mixed with fentanyl are inherently much more dangerous for the user. Fentanyl is a powerful opioid that is often mixed into illegal drugs to stretch the product. The new product, now much more powerful, increases the risk of an overdose for the user.

Alex Elbaz, 27, overdosed last February. Elbaz was sold drugs that were laced with fentanyl by Phillip Patterson. Patterson was just indicted by a Gwinnett County grand jury for giving Elbaz the drugs which he overdosed on.

“Initially I was elated, I was jumping up and down like I won the lottery,” Alex Elbaz’s mother Joy Crowe said.

The joy was short-lived for Crowe, as she still must go on in life without her son.

“I realized my son was never coming home,” Crowe said.

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Although the new law will put additional responsibility on drug dealers, it must meet specific requirements.

“You need to be able to prove a few things. One, that the dealer knew it was laced with fentanyl, but you also need to show that it was this dealer that sold to this victim,” Ester Pantich, Legal analyst said.

This new law is a step in the right direction for metro counties like Gwinnett. Last year, Gwinnett County had 66 overdose deaths, with 25 that could attributed to fentanyl.

“We can save others by making sure these drug dealers are held accountable for these murders, these poisonings,” said Crowe.

Gwinnett schools return to in-person classes Monday as many remain skeptical of safety over COVID-19 Teachers throughout the district are mourning the death of a colleague as parents are deeply divided over where the best place is for their children to be.

Cox Media Group