U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada | U.S. Department of Justice
A Hawaiian Gardens resident has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for selling fentanyl that led to the overdose death of an 18-year-old. Gregory Hevener, aged 47, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi, who also ordered him to pay $45,100 in restitution. Hevener has been in custody since February 2022.
Following a seven-day trial, a jury found Hevener guilty on June 24 of distributing fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute heroin. "While no amount of prison time will restore what was lost to the victim’s family, we hope today’s sentence will bring some closure to the victim’s loved ones and protect our community from further harm," stated United States Attorney Martin Estrada. "Vindicating victims is core to my office’s work. We will continue to lead the nation in holding accountable those who traffic in powerful synthetic drugs, especially when they cause death or bodily harm."
The incident dates back to November 2020 when the victim responded to an advertisement posted by Hevener on OfferUp, which coded black tar heroin as "BLACK TAR ROOFING MATERIALS!!". The transaction took place in Hawaiian Gardens where the victim purchased what he thought was heroin but turned out to be a mixture containing fentanyl and tramadol. After consuming the drugs at home, the victim suffered a fatal overdose.
In searches conducted during July and October 2021 outside Hevener's residence, law enforcement discovered plastic bags and burnt tin foil with traces of fentanyl and tramadol. A subsequent search in December 2021 resulted in finding approximately 245 grams of black tar heroin and about 1.2 grams of fentanyl among other items.
The investigation was carried out by the Drug Enforcement Administration along with the El Monte Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kellye Ng and Maria Jhai from the Violent and Organized Crime Section along with Kyle W. Kahan from the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.
