PORTLAND, Ore. — A fentanyl dealer was sentenced to federal prison on Wednesday for his connection with the overdose death of a Portland teen back in November 2022.
Tanner Welsh, 21, of Portland was sentenced to nine years and three years of supervised release for his role in selling fatal fentanyl-laced pills, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.
On Nov. 19, 2022, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) responded to reports of a fatal overdose of a 17-year-old teen. Investigators were able to find several small blue pills close to the teen's body which they believe were laced with fentanyl. An autopsy later confirmed that the teen died from fentanyl poisoning, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.
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Investigators also found that the teen exchanged several texts with Welsh right before overdosing. The texts were in response to an online ad for drugs that Welsh posted. Investigators also learned that Welsh delivered the pills to the teen's house, said the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.
Investigators say on Jan. 24, 2024, special agents from Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) found and arrested Welsh, who confessed to selling fentanyl and Xanax pills to the teen.
On Feb. 8, 2023, a federal grand jury found Welsh guilty on one-count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl. On Feb. 13, 2023, Welsh pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding criminal information charging him with distributing fentanyl to person under 21, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.
PPB and HSI investigated the case.
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