Phoenix man who sold fentanyl that killed woman sentenced to 10 years in prison

PHOENIX — A Phoenix man will spend 10 years behind bars after being convicted of selling fentanyl to a woman who died after taking the drug, authorities said on Thursday.

Reyes Luis Holguin, 29, was sentenced in December and agreed this week to also pay $6,103 in restitution to the family of the woman who died, the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, said in a press release. Holguin will also have five years of supervised release after his prison term concludes.

“These dangerous pills are flooding Arizona communities, and studies show that 40% contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl,” U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino said in the release.

“This sentence should serve as a warning message to sellers, and as a reminder of the need for compassion and creative solutions in protecting Arizonans from these pills.”

The woman communicated with Holguin in August 2019 using online messaging to purchase three fake prescription oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl, authorities said. She overdosed and died after taking the drugs and was discovered the next morning by her mother, authorities said.

Holguin also sold 67 fentanyl pills to law enforcement and negotiated a future sale of an additional 100, authorities said.

He was arrested with a loaded firearm, more fake pills and $2,285, authorities said.

Investigation of the case was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Phoenix Police Department.

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