Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of six indictments and one arrest pursuant to a criminal complaint charging 13 individuals for their roles in six fatal opioid overdoses. The indictments also notify the defendants that the United States intends to forfeit any assets that are alleged to be traceable proceeds of the offense. The indictments were returned on May 20 and 27, 2020. The arrest pursuant to the criminal complaint took place on March 30, 2020.        



INDICTMENT 1





Name





Age, Residence





Charges and Maximum Penalties





Jared Collins





26, Wesley Chapel





Possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death; possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl.

Minimum mandatory term of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison for the conduct resulting in death; and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the other offense.





INDICTMENT 2





Kimberly Fleer





27, Seffner





Possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and heroin resulting in death; distribution and possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.

Minimum mandatory term of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison for the conduct resulting in death; and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the other counts.





INDICTMENT 3





Justin Lebarron





27, New Port Richey





Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in death; distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in death; possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl; maintaining a drug premise.

Mandatory term of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison for the counts alleging death and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the remaining counts.





Brittney Smith





29, New Port Richey





Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in death; distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine resulting in death; maintaining a drug premise.

Minimum mandatory term of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison for the counts alleging death and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the remaining count.





Vincent Sanchez





34, New Port Richey





One count of being an accessory after the fact to a drug conspiracy and drug distribution resulting in death.

Maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.





Michael Phelps





44, Port Richey





One count of being an accessory after the fact to a drug conspiracy and drug distribution resulting in death.

Maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.





Krystin Horner





31, Port Richey





One count of being an accessory after the fact to a drug conspiracy and drug distribution resulting in death.

Maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.





INDICTMENT 4





Thomas Lynch





57, Riverview





Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin resulting in death; distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin resulting in death; possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl.

Minimum mandatory term of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison for the conspiracy; and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the other counts.





Shawn Ryno





31, Riverview





Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin resulting in death; distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin resulting in death.

Minimum mandatory term of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison for both counts.





Christina O’Brien





36, Riverview





Conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and heroin resulting in death; distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin resulting in death.

Minimum mandatory term of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison for both counts.





INDICTMENT 5





Isaiah Reed





31, Tampa





Distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin.

Maximum term of 20 years in federal prison.





INDICTMENT 6





Jarran Riley

 





34, Clearwater

 





Distribution and possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin resulting in death; possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and cocaine.

Minimum mandatory term of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison for the conduct resulting in death; and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the other counts.





ARRESTED BY CRIMINAL COMPLAINT





Jack Rice





35, St. Petersburg





Possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine; possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Maximum term of 20 years in federal prison.



           

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.          

The cases against Collins (Indictment 1), Lebarron et al (Indictment 3), Rice (Criminal Complaint), and Riley (Indictment 6) were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Secret Service, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Clearwater Police Department, the Pinellas Park Police Department, and the St. Petersburg Police Department as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.

The cases against Fleer (Indictment 2), Lynch et al (Indictment 4), and Reed (Indictment 5) were investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office as part of the Middle District of Florida’s anti-opioid strategy to combat opioid trafficking and abuse.

All cases will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Diego Novaes.