A Maryland woman was sentenced on July 15 to more than 12 years in federal prison for her role in a drug-trafficking case that resulted in the death of a victim. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Sarah Katherine Magid, 36, of Burtonsville, to 151 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Magid was also ordered to pay $25,090 in restitution related to burial costs for the victim.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence along with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division and Chief Marc R. Yamada of the Montgomery County Police Department.
According to court documents, Magid distributed fentanyl in March 2024 that led to a fatal overdose. Investigators found text messages between Magid and the victim discussing fentanyl distribution and arranging a meeting where pills pressed to look like oxycodone hydrochloride were exchanged but actually contained fentanyl. The victim was later found deceased; an autopsy determined death by fentanyl toxicity.
In July 2024, law enforcement received information that Magid, who worked as a first-grade teacher at a Montgomery County school, left her classroom during work hours to sell drugs outside the school building. Authorities discovered additional text messages indicating she conducted drug sales while at work.
Hayes said, “U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and MCPD for their work in the investigation.” She also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Elizabeth Wright for prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland is part of the U.S. Department of Justice and serves nearly six million residents across Maryland with over 200 personnel across its civil, criminal and administrative divisions; it prosecutes federal crimes, handles civil cases on behalf of the United States government, collects debts owed to federal agencies or victims from criminal cases, counts alumni among prominent government leaders and judges nationwide, and aims to enhance quality of life through effective justice administration, according to the official website.