A total of four individuals have been charged in connection with the fentanyl-related death of an 18-year-old University of South Florida student, announced U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg in a news conference. Darius Gustafson, 20, Marquise Trant, 35, David Chudhabuddhi, 37, and Miguel Cintron, 36, were charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death, and other counts of distributing fentanyl in quantities exceeding 40 grams.
The investigation discovered that Cintron was the leader of a sophisticated drug ring, with law enforcement finding a cache of weapons, cocaine, and drugs during a search warrant executed in April. The recovered items included multiple firearms, over 1,200 fentanyl-laced pills, as well as more than seven kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram each of black tar heroin and heroin. Over $200,000 in cash was also seized.
The four suspects are currently being held without bond as they await trial. Law enforcement began investigating the student’s death in February, after his body was found in his dorm room. The cause of death was determined to be an accidental fentanyl overdose, with no other lethal substances detected in his system.