Safety Harbor Man Responsible For Fentanyl Death Gets 20 Years

Safety Harbor FL

03 August, 2021

7:18 PM

Description

TAMPA, FL — A Safety Harbor man who pleaded guilty to selling fentanyl that caused a person's death will spend 20 years in federal prison. On Monday, U.S. District Judge William Jung sentenced David Burkes, 52, to prison for distributing narcotics, resulting in the death of one person and serious bodily injury to another. Burkes pleaded guilty on April 21. According to the plea agreement, beginning on Aug. 12, 2019, Burkes distributed fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl to two people who snorted the drug and overdosed in a parked car. Paramedics responded and revived one person but the other died. The Medical Examiner's Office for Pasco and Pinellas counties determined that the cause of death was fentanyl toxicity. After the fatal overdose, Burkes sold drugs between Aug. 13 and 15, 2019, to undercover officers. The drugs tested positive for fentanyl and Burkes was arrested Aug. 25, 2019, by Pinellas County sheriff's deputies. The following day, agents executed a federal search warrant on Burke's home and car, recovering methamphetamines, fentanyl, cocaine and items used for packaging and distributing narcotics.