Drug dealer sentenced for selling fentanyl that killed Mesa man whose wife was in labor

A drug dealer who sold a deadly dose of fentanyl to a Mesa man who overdosed while his wife was in labor in a hospital was sentenced to 20 years in prison, authorities announced Wednesday.

James Amalfi, 45, previously pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter, according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Two felony charges for selling drugs were dismissed as part of the plea deal.

Prosecutors said Amalfi sold the drugs that killed Ryan Brown in December 2024.

The Mesa Police Department received a call about an unresponsive person after Brown’s wife, who was in the hospital giving birth to their second child, was unable to contact him.

Officers found Brown dead on his bed and a bag containing a white substance that was later determined to be fentanyl on the nightstand.

What investigators learned about the Mesa fentanyl overdose case

Investigators determined that Amalfi set up the sale of fentanyl to Brown through a co-defendant named Amanda Doornbos, prosecutors said.

Two days after Brown’s death, Amalfi sent a text message offering to sell him more fentanyl, prosecutors said.

“This defendant knew the fentanyl he was supplying could cause a fatal overdose and sold it anyway,” County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a news release. “Two children have lost their father, a wife has lost her husband and a family is left with a devastating loss.”

Mitchell said Amalfi’s sentence was one of the longest her office has received for this type of case.

Doornbos is scheduled to go on trial for her alleged role in Brown’s death in late October.

Related

Peoria Unified School District faces new claim accusing Haley Beck of groomingPhoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks charged for Scottsdale DUI incidentASU hockey coach Greg Powers placed on leave in wake of player’s hospitalizationFrom food truck to burger bars: Randizzle’s plans 2 Valley restaurantsScottsdale is latest Arizona city to consider shutting off Flock Safety camerasAmazon launches collaborative initiative to fund Colorado River Basin water projects