Wichita man sentenced to 25 years in prison for causing fentanyl death

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced to 25 years in prison for giving a man a fentanyl pill which caused his death. 

According to court documents, in October 2023, Tyler Ralls, 35, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance which resulted in death.

On July 31, 2019, Ralls gave Michael Marsalla, 35, a pill that Ralls knew was laced with fentanyl. Ralls admitted knowing that Marsalla wasn’t a user and thus didn’t have a tolerance for fentanyl. The next day when Ralls couldn’t reach Marsalla by phone, he drove to Marsalla’s house and found him unresponsive. Ralls dialed 911, and emergency responders pronounced Marsalla deceased at the scene. An autopsy determined the victim died of fentanyl toxicity.

“Michael Marsalla’s vibrant life was cut short because of a single pill,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher. “This 25-year prison sentence is one of the most severe handed down for a fentanyl causing death case in the history of the District of Kansas. Ideally this outcome will become a cautionary tale to fentanyl traffickers about the repercussions they face for their crimes, because our office is firmly committed to prosecuting those who peddle this poison in our communities.”   

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Valley Center Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak prosecuted the case.

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