Long Beach Man Found Guilty of Distributing Fentanyl-Laced Cocaine that Caused Fatal Overdoses of Engaged Couple in Orange County

LOS ANGELES - A Long Beach man was found guilty by a jury today of distributing fentanyl-laced cocaine that resulted in the overdose deaths on the same day in Orange County of two victims who were engaged to be married.

Stephen Johnson, 43, a.k.a. "Stephen Jo," of Long Beach, was found guilty of two counts of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and two counts of distribution of cocaine.

According to evidence presented at a four-day trial, the victims paid Johnson $240 on the night of May 24, 2023, and in exchange he twice gave them cocaine. The victims then attended a concert in West Hollywood before returning to Johnson's residence at approximately 3 a.m. on May 25, 2023, to pick up the remainder of their cocaine - which contained fentanyl.

The victims then returned to their residence in Brea, where they consumed the narcotics and suffered fatal overdoses.

United States District Judge Stephen V. Wilson scheduled an April 20 sentencing hearing, at which time Johnson will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The FBI and the Brea Police Department investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Y. Fu of the Orange County Office, Christopher R. Jones, Christina R.B. López, and William Kanellis of the General Crimes Section are prosecuting this matter.