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Jaron Johnson, 22, was detained this week pending his upcoming trial for the drug distribution case that led to the death of an 18-year-old soldier last year, federal authorities announced.
Court documents state that in May last year, Johnson distributed what he knew to contain fentanyl to the US Army private, which killed him within hours.
Officials say that the cause of death was determined to be a mixture of fentanyl, dextromethorphan (cough medicine), and chlorpheniramine (allergy medicine), with an enlarged heart as a contributing factor, and the manner ruled accidental.
However, the Medical Examiner also made note that if the man had ingested only the fentanyl, he would have died.
During the investigation, a search of the soldier’s phone found text messages between he and a specific phone number that was linked to Johnson.
In those messages, they discussed purchasing “blues” and “30s” - slang to be known to be associated with pills containing fentanyl - and on May 23, 2022, Johnson sent a message to him which included a picture of a hand holding a bag of light blue pills, with the marking’s “M” and “30” on them.
The man died from the lethal dose three days later on May 26, 2022, nearly one year to the day Johnson was arrested on Thursday, May 25 upon his return from California, where a check of his luggage led to the seizure of an estimated 33 pounds of marijuana.
Johnson was charged with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The case is now being investigated by the DEA’s Washington Division and Army’s Criminal Investigation Division.
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