Federal Charges Filed in Overdose Death of College Football Player

HOUSTON – A 26-year-old Katy man has been charged with conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute a powerful opioid analogue, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

A federal grand jury returned the three-count indictment June 19, 2019, against Stuart Mouchantaf. Authorities took him into custody today. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.

The indictment alleges Mouchantaf conspired to distribute and possessed with intent to distribute a powerful opioid analogue known as carfentanil which resulted in the death of an otherwise healthy athlete in March 2018. Mouchantaf allegedly possessed the deadly drug with the intent to distribute it on Rice University’s campus the day before the victim’s body was found. 

At the time, the victim was a star player with NFL aspirations, according to the allegations.

Carfentanil is not approved for human use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is intended for sedation of large animals and is the most potent fentanyl analog detected in the United States. Carfentanil is estimated to have 10,000 times the potency of morphine and has recently been reported in an alarming number of deaths in some states.

If you believe you or someone you know has been affected by any narcotics Mouchantaf distributed, please contact the Houston Police Department at 713-308-3300.

The Houston Police Department and the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Corley and Robert Stabe are prosecuting the case.

A indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.