Minnesota Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in the Death of a Tuscaloosa Man

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A St. Francis, Minnesota, man pleaded guilty Tuesday to distributing fentanyl that resulted in a death, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector-in-Charge Scott D. Fix, Houston Division. 

Christopher Louis Bass, 46, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler to distributing fentanyl, admitting that a person’s death resulted from the distribution. 

According to the plea agreement, Bass used the United States Postal Service to distribute narcotics, namely counterfeit Oxycontin, throughout the United States.  Bass received orders over the internet for counterfeit pills and then concealed shipments of pills within U.S. Postal Service Priority Mail packages.  In August 2022, Dr. Louis Burgio of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, received counterfeit narcotics shipped by Bass.  Unknown to Dr. Burgio, the counterfeit pills also contained fentanyl.  Dr. Burgio passed away on August 21, 2022, as a result of the toxic effects of fentanyl.  Priority Mail packaging found in Dr. Burgio’s home matched the Priority Mail packages shipped by Bass.  A search of Bass’s residence in St. Francis, Minnesota, resulted in the seizure of counterfeit pills, fentanyl, and packaging material.  A search of Bass’s phone revealed spreadsheets of customers, addresses, U.S. Postal Service tracking numbers, weights and quantities of orders, and pricing for pills.

Bass is scheduled to be sentenced before U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler at the Federal Courthouse in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on December 17, 2024.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Kirk is prosecuting the case.