FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 31, 2023

WASHINGTON – Jaron Johnson, 22, of Washington, D.C., was ordered held today pending trial in a drug distribution case that resulted in death. Johnson is charged by indictment, filed May 9, 2023, with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Eckersley of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Washington Field Office.

            According to documents filed in U.S. District Court, in May of 2022, Johnson purposefully distributed what he knew to contain fentanyl to a U.S. Army private (the “decedent”). The fentanyl the defendant sold to the decedent killed him within hours. His 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. The examiner, however, indicated that had the decedent ingested only the fentanyl, he would have died.

            When the decedent’s phone was searched, investigators found a text message conversation between the decedent and a specific phone number which was linked to Johnson. The messages show that the decedent discussed meeting with Johnson to purchase “blues” and “30s,” which is slang known to be used for pills containing fentanyl. On May 23, 2022, Johnson sent a message to the decedent which included a picture of a hand holding a bag of light blue pills, with the marking’s “M” and “30” on them. The decedent died on May 26, 2022.

            On May 25, 2023, Johnson was arrested at an airport upon his return from California. A search of his checked luggage revealed he had been carrying approximately 33 pounds of suspected marijuana.

            This case is being investigated by the DEA’s Washington Division and Army’s Criminal Investigation Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel and Will Hart, of the Violence Reduction and Traffic Offenses Section (VRTO) of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

            An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.