Nevada Man Sentenced to Prison for 17 Years after Distributing Fentanyl, Resulting in Death of a Utah Resident

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Bryan Walter McMahan, 41, of Las Vegas, Nevada was sentenced today to 204 months' imprisonment after he distributed fentanyl by mailing a package of oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to a Utah woman, who died after ingesting the narcotic.

Following McMahan's term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow imposed a term of three years' supervised release and ordered him to pay $8,888.74 in restitution to the victim's family.

According to court documents and statements made at McMahan's change of plea and sentencing hearings, on October 7, 2023, McMahan went to a post office in Las Vegas and mailed an envelope addressed to the victim with at least four pills containing fentanyl. Over the next three days, McMahan and the victim exchanged multiple text messages as the victim awaited the arrival of the package. On October 10, 2023, the package arrived and on the following day, McMahan attempted to reach out to the victim multiple times. Ultimately, the victim was found deceased inside her room. The padded mailing envelope bearing McMahan's name, return address and tracking number that he provided the victim were next to her body. Underneath the victim, law enforcement located three small blue pills later confirmed to contain fentanyl.

"A young woman lost her life as a result of reckless criminal conduct, and no amount of imprisonment can change the course of that tragic outcome," said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. It is important to remember that just one pill can kill. There is no way of knowing what controlled substances are contained in counterfeit pharmaceuticals for sale on the illicit market. My office will continue, along with our law enforcement partners, to vigorously prosecute those who are willing to distribute poison into our communities."

"At DEA, our goal is a Fentanyl Free America. Every day, our men and women are confronting drug dealers and the Cartels they're connected with," said Miguel Chino, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's Rocky Mountain Division - Utah Office. "Our sincere thanks to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Utah, for prosecuting this case and to our fellow law enforcement partners. We'll continue to aggressively pursue those who are peddling this poison into our communities."

"Any loss of life in our community is heartbreaking, and our thoughts remain with the victim's family and loved ones. Our Detectives assigned to the DEA Fentanyl Overdose Death Task Force were committed to uncovering the truth behind this tragedy and identifying those responsible," said Lieutenant Clint Bobrowski of the Layton City Police Department. "The Layton City Police Department values our partnership with Federal Law Enforcement and the U.S. Attorney's Office, and remain steadfast in our dedication to pursuing justice and holding individuals accountable when their actions contribute to these devastating outcomes."

The case was investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Layton City Police Department.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.