A Woodbridge, Virginia, man pleaded guilty Thursday to selling counterfeit Perocet pills to a 14-year-old, who died of a fentanyl overdose days later.
Police said Latae’veion Woods, 21, sold the pills to the teen last spring, according to court documents.
After the 14-year-old’s death, police found a small plastic bag that had four blue pills. Testing revealed it actually contained fentanyl, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the Eastern District of Virginia, which prosecuted the case.
Investigators also discovered text messages on the victim’s cell phone that indicated Woods distributed the pills to the 14-year-old a number of times between March and April 2022, and instructed the teen on how to resell the pills for a specific amount of money.
Text messages also showed Woods offering to sell the 14-year-old a firearm, prosecutors said. Law enforcement found a handgun and a “ghost gun” during a search of Woods’ residence.
Woods is facing a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. He will be sentenced April 14.