LAYTON, Utah — A man from Nevada who sold pills to a Utah woman two years ago has been sentenced in connection with her death.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said 41-year-old Bryan Walter McMahan sold oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to a woman who lived in Layton, and she was found dead after ingesting them.
McMahan, of Las Vegas, mailed the pills on Oct. 7, 2023, and they arrived on Oct. 10. The woman, who has not been publicly named, was eventually found dead in her home. Prosecutors said an envelope with McMahan's return address was found nearby, along with three blue pills underneath her body.
McMahan was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Tuesday. He was also ordered to pay $8,888 to the victim's family, along with three years of supervised release after his prison term. Prosecutors said he changed his plea, but did not specify what charges he pleaded to.
The Layton City Police Department and the local branch of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the woman's death.
“Any loss of life in our community is heartbreaking, and our thoughts remain with the victim’s family and loved ones,” said Layton Police Lt. Clint Bobrowski. "Our Detectives assigned to the DEA Fentanyl Overdose Death Task Force were committed to uncovering the truth behind this tragedy and identifying those responsible."
“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,” added 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."
