A Minnesota man was sentenced to life in prison Monday for selling fentanyl on-line that led to 11 fatal overdoses.
A federal jury in March convicted Aaron Broussard, 32, of Hopkins, of 17 counts together with distribution of fentanyl ensuing in dying. Federal prosecutors mentioned at trial that Broussard’s clients thought they had been shopping for a stimulant comparable to Adderall.
Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson praised the bravery of victims and members of the family who gave impression statements in courtroom, and instructed Broussard: “Your disregard for human life is terrifying,” the Justice Department mentioned in a news release.
Defense legal professional Aaron Morrison argued in a courtroom submitting earlier than sentencing {that a} 20-year prison time period could be adequate, saying his shopper did not know he was mailing fentanyl to his victims. Prosecutors responded that Broussard saved selling fentanyl even after studying some folks had change into severely unwell.
“Even after he learned that several customers had been hospitalized and nearly died, Broussard never warned his customers not to take the deadly drugs,” the Justice Department mentioned. “Broussard did reach out to his suppliers in China to request a discount on his next drug delivery.”
U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger hailed the sentence, however acknowledged the toll Broussard’s actions had taken.
“Eleven lives lost. Families, friends, and communities forever changed by the devastation brought on by Aaron Broussard’s deadly fentanyl. Although the trauma felt by the victims can never be undone and the true cost can never be calculated, Mr. Broussard will now spend the remainder of his life behind bars,” Luger mentioned in a statement.
The (*11*) for Americans between 18 and 45 is fentanyl overdoses. With a majority of the chemical compounds in fentanyl produced in China, the Drug Enforcement Administration is now calling on the Chinese authorities to crack down on the availability chain networks producing the unlawful drug.
“We would like China to do more,” DEA administrator Anne Milgram instructed CBS News. “For example, we need to be able to track every shipment of chemicals that’s coming out of those Chinese chemical companies and coming to Mexico.”
Fentanyl’s risk to teenagers is additionally a priority due to how simply fentanyl-laced medication could be purchased on-line, Milgram mentioned. Three quarters of youngster overdose deaths in 2021 concerned fentanyl, in accordance to a study revealed in JAMA in April.
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