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Date: 08-30-2020
Case Style:
United States of America v. Lacey Nicole Crawshaw
Case Number: 4:19-cr-00143-DN
Judge: David Nuffer
Court: United States District Court for the District of Utah (Washington County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney’s Office
Defendant's Attorney:
Call 855-853-4800 for help finding a great criminal defense drug distribution charge lawyer in St. George, Utah.
Description:
St. George, UT - The United States of America charged Lacey Nicole Crawshaw with distribution of fentanyl after she sold counterfeit Oxycodone 30 mg pills containing fentanyl to a confidential source four times over a one-month period.
Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use as an analgesic (pain relief) and anesthetic. It is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin, according to a DEA fact sheet. It is also one of the most dangerous cutting agents used by drug traffickers in making counterfeit pills, including oxycodone pills. Lacing the counterfeit pill with fentanyl makes the drug cheaper to produce and can generate large profits for drug dealers. It also increases the risk of overdose and loss of life since users may not know the pill they are buying contains fentanyl.
“Drug dealers in Utah should be on notice. If you deal in fentanyl, you will find yourself in federal prison where there is zero chance for parole. I have directed officers, agents and prosecutors that no case is too small for our review when it comes to fentanyl. It is too deadly of a substance to tolerate,” U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said today.
“This case is a perfect example of teamwork between the Washington County Drug Task Force, the DEA, and the United States Attorney’s Office. By now we’re all aware of the devastating effects fentanyl has on our communities, even in small quantities. This case illustrates the fact that it doesn’t matter the size of the case, we will collectively and tenaciously pursue drug dealers like Lacey Crawshaw,” Sgt. Sean Sparks of the Washington County Drug Task Force said today.
Crawshaw was charged in a four-counts of distribution of fentanyl in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in December 2019. She pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl in a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors in April.
As a part of the plea agreement, Crawshaw, also known as Lacey Nichole Crawshaw-Leavitt and Lacey Nichole Crawshaw-Chavarria, admitted that on Sept. 24, 2019, she knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl. A Utah Bureau of Forensic Services senior forensic scientist determined that the tablets containing fentanyl that she distributed weighed approximately 3 grams. The plea agreement also included an understanding that relevant conduct that was either not charged or not included in the plea agreement could be taken into consideration by the court in determining a sentence in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the St. George office of the United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The case was investigated by members of the Washington County Drug Task Force and special agents with the DEA.
21:841(a)(1) NARCOTICS - SELL, DISTRIBUTE, OR DISPENSE Distribution of Fentanyl
Outcome: Defendant pleaded guilty. SENTENCE: Defendant was committed to custody of BOP for 33 months. Upon release, defendant was order to be on Supervised Release for 36 months. FINE: None. SPA: $100.00
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: