Brian Arthur Goodale, 56, of Lake Elsinore, California, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for fentanyl distribution. Acting US Attorney Justin D. Whatcott announced this on Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Goodale to pay reparations to the victim’s family for funeral expenses and serve three years of supervised release after his prison sentence.
According to court papers, on March 16, 2023, law enforcement performed a welfare check on the victim, who had not returned calls or bangs on the door. They discovered the deceased victim clutching a little medication tube and a small piece of tin foil close to him. A toxicology analysis and autopsy revealed that the man had a fatal amount of fentanyl in his system at the time of death. The investigation uncovered Facebook interactions between the victim and Goodale. Goodale texted, “Shoot the $100, and I’ll send it now, 3PK, but I’m going to need the $200 on Wednesday if you’re still alive!” The inquiry discovered that the victim acquired fentanyl from Goodale, who sent it from Chula Vista, California, to Boise, Idaho, via the Post Office. Goodale has a lengthy criminal record, including 29 prior convictions in California, 20 of which include illegal substances. At the time he sold the fentanyl to the victim in Idaho, Goodale was on felony probation for selling it in Riverside County, California.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50–100 times more potent than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was created to treat severe pain and is administered in the form of transdermal patches or lozenges. While prescription fentanyl can be diverted for misuse, the majority of fentanyl-related overdoses in the United States are linked to Mexican drug trafficking organizations, the world’s largest producers of illicit fentanyl. These drug trafficking organizations frequently work with international cartels to transport illicit fentanyl into the United States.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott praised the Boise Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Postal Inspection Service for their work on the case, which led to the charge. Christian S. Nafzger, an assistant United States attorney, prosecuted the case.