San Diego Man Pleads Guilty in Fentanyl Overdose Death

Assistant U. S. Attorneys Stephen H. Wong (619) 546-9464 and Mikaela L. Weber (619) 546-9734

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 19, 2021

SAN DIEGO – Tony Davis pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he supplied fentanyl that led to the fatal overdose of Jacqueline Galvan, a 41-year-old San Diego woman, on October 24, 2018.

According to his plea agreement, Davis agreed to sell more than 100 grams of what he knew to be heroin in the fall of 2018, and that on October 24, 2018 he distributed heroin and fentanyl to another street-level drug dealer who in turn distributed the drugs that caused Galvan’s death.

Davis further acknowledged selling more than 100 grams of heroin to the drug dealer who was, in turn, distributing those drugs to others. Davis pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Lopez to Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl and Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 6, 2021 by U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo.

DEA Narcotic Task Force Team 10 led the investigation in this case. Team 10 is a specialty unit, with investigators from HSI, FBI, San Diego Police Department, CA Department of Health Care Services and the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, that investigates overdose deaths in San Diego.  Team 10 responds to the discovery of overdose victims and aggressively pursues criminal cases, up the distribution chain, against the dealers and their sources of supply.

“This case should put drug dealers and those who supply them on notice that every time we have an overdose death, law enforcement will come looking for you, because lives are at stake,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “We will not stop with the street-level dealers but will follow the supply chain as far up as necessary and will use every available criminal and civil tool to combat this deadly epidemic and stop these tragic losses.”

“This case is another example of how DEA and our law enforcement partners on Team 10 – the Overdose Response Team – are working together to put the people responsible for supplying deadly drugs in prison,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge John W. Callery.  “DEA will continue to aggressively pursue both street-level dealers and their suppliers and bring justice to the families who lost a loved one to a drug overdose.”

The United States Attorney’s Office is working closely with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the National City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal, state and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute cases targeting those who supply drugs in fatal overdose cases.

Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman praised prosecutors Stephen H. Wong and Mikaela L. Weber as well as DEA Team 10 investigators for their hard work on the case.

For those who suffer from addiction, please know there is help. Call the Crisis line at 888-724-7240; it’s always open.

DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 19-CR-0294-CAB

Tony Davis                                                    Age: 65         

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 841(a)(1)

Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin – Title 21, U.S.C., Section 841(a)(1) & 846

Penalties: Mandatory minimum five years in prison; maximum 40 years in prison

AGENCY

Drug Enforcement Administration