The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) recently announced that former Hollywood businessman Ed Buck has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for injecting a lethal amount of methamphetamine into two men and killing them.
U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder sentenced Buck, 67, to 30 years in prison for his crimes, a recent DOJ press release said. Following a nine-day trial in July 2021, a federal jury found Buck guilty of two counts of methamphetamine distribution resulting in death, four counts of methamphetamine distribution, one count of maintaining a drug-related premises and two counts of enticement to travel in interstate commerce for prostitution.
"This defendant preyed upon vulnerable victims — men who were drug-dependent and often without homes — to feed an obsession that led to death and misery," U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison said in the release. "Mr. Buck continues to pose a clear danger to society, as evidenced by him continuing to lure men to his apartment, even after he killed two men with lethal methamphetamine injections. The sentence imposed today will protect other potential victims and hopefully will bring some solace to the families of two men who needlessly died in Mr. Buck's apartment."
Court documents showed Buck had a history of soliciting men to take narcotics and engage in sexual activities at his apartment, the release said. Buck would supply drugs to his victims and often inject them with the drugs intravenously, sometimes while they were unconscious and without their consent. At trial, victims said he sedated them by drugging their drinks and sexually assaulting them while they were unconscious.
Buck killed Gemmel Moore with a lethal dose of methamphetamine on July 27, 2017, the release said. Later, on Jan. 7, 2019, he also killed Timothy Dean with a lethal dose of methamphetamine. Even after their two deaths, Buck continued his pattern of soliciting men and distributing methamphetamine. Another victim overdosed twice during the so-called "party and play" sessions, but he survived after receiving medical treatment.
Buck also faces having to pay restitution to the loved ones of the victims. A hearing has been scheduled for May 16.
