Fentanyl Death: Sheriff Charges Murder

Breaking: Austin 'Entrepreneur' Arrested for Fentanyl 'Business' Deal

The Williamson County Sheriff's Office just slapped a shiny murder charge on an Austin 'businessman' accused of providing fentanyl to a Hutto man who died from an overdose last year. Talk about bad customer service! Oh, and they're also looking into another fentanyl overdose in Round Rock. Because who has time for just one crisis?

The Nitty-Gritty

27-year-old Tyreik Gilbert is now a prime suspect in the death of 26-year-old Joseph Barrera on September 7, 2023. Barrera apparently thought it was a great idea to trade an iPad for fentanyl. Spoiler alert: it wasn't. Detectives found the text messages on Barrera’s phone revealing the deal—Gilbert even admitted to it while serving time in the Milam County Jail for, you guessed it, unrelated drug charges. Texas law states a person can be charged with murder if someone dies from fentanyl they dealt. This makes it Gilbert's unlucky 8th charge related to fentanyl deaths since the law went into effect in September.

The Sheriff's Side

Investigators also responded to a suspected overdose of a 31-year-old woman in Round Rock. She didn't make it.

"The investigation remains ongoing, and the Sheriff's Office continues to urge the public to stay aware of the risks associated with fentanyl," the release said.

Know something you shouldn't? Call the Williamson County Sheriff's tip line at (512) 943-1170. Curious about the fentanyl crisis? Visit TXAF.org.

The Death Toll

Last year, 35 people in Williamson County bit the dust from fentanyl, out of a total of 57 suspected overdoses. In August, Sgt. Heather Vargas of the sheriff's office reported 27 overdose deaths this year, including 17 involving fentanyl.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that works wonders for pain management when prescribed legally. Illegally, it can be a death sentence.

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