Austin Man Pleads Guilty in Deadly Fentanyl Overdose Case

AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man pleaded guilty in a federal court in Austin on Tuesday to distribution of fentanyl causing death.

According to court documents, David Lee Jr., 46, was identified as a supplier of counterfeit oxycodone tablets and other counterfeit prescription pills in the investigation of the overdose death of an 18-year-old Coupland male.  As part of the investigation, a Williamson County Sheriff’s Office investigator purchased eight oxycodone tablets from Lee.  A laboratory analysis determined the tablets contained fentanyl, tramadol and florofentanyl.  Lee himself initiated a subsequent sale of 1,000 oxycodone tablets to the investigator.  The lab analysis from that controlled-buy revealed the tablets contained fentanyl.  Other controlled-buys were made from one of Lee’s co-conspirators, Virginia Zepeda.

Lee faces a penalty of 20 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration Houston Division made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Marshall is prosecuting the case.

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