(Image Credit: IMAGN) Port St. Lucie police announced Wednesday, July 19, 2023, that they seized 10,000 fentanyl pills worth $300,000 and a pound of cocaine in the city's largest drug bust to date.
Los Angeles, California – Federal officials announced Thursday that 20 criminal cases have been filed so far in 2025 against individuals accused of distributing fentanyl or fentanyl-laced pills that directly resulted in fatal overdoses across Southern California.
The charges stem from the ongoing work of the OD Justice Task Force, a collaborative initiative led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to investigate overdose deaths and identify those responsible for distributing the lethal drugs. The task force operates throughout the seven counties of the Central District of California and works closely with local law enforcement, often the first responders to overdose scenes. DEA agents have provided specialized training to help these agencies preserve and analyze evidence that can support federal prosecutions.
The announcement comes amid a national fentanyl crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 80,391 people in the United States died from drug overdoses in 2024, with the majority of those deaths involving fentanyl. Since the OD Justice initiative began in 2018, federal prosecutors in California have filed charges against 163 individuals accused of distributing drugs that resulted in fatal overdoses.
Under federal law, the charge of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison, with a potential maximum of life.
Among the newly filed cases is that of Michael McDevitt, 43, of Simi Valley, who is accused of providing fentanyl that killed a victim in Ventura County in 2021. He remains in federal custody with trial scheduled for June. In a separate case, Alexander Nihar Biswas, 42, of Loma Linda, is charged with distributing fentanyl that caused a fatal overdose in San Bernardino County earlier this year. He is also in custody awaiting an October trial.
In one of the more serious incidents, Michel Joseph Abdallah, 21, of Laguna Niguel, faces charges linked to two fentanyl overdose deaths in Orange County in 2023. Prosecutors allege he also possessed 1.3 kilograms of fentanyl and two firearms, including an untraceable AR-15-style “ghost gun.”
Additional cases include defendants from Lancaster, Torrance, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, Palmdale, Santa Ana, and San Pedro, all charged with distributing fentanyl that resulted in death. Some defendants, like 31-year-old Macey Putnam of Michigan, have been released on bond while awaiting trial. Others remain jailed without bail.
Authorities emphasized that these prosecutions send a clear message that drug dealers whose actions lead to fatal overdoses will face serious consequences. “These cases represent our commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable and protecting the public from this deadly epidemic,” said a DEA spokesperson.
