A Florida man was found guilty of murder in a fentanyl drug overdose case.
At the conclusion of a three-day trial this month, a Flagler County jury returned a guilty verdict in the Death by Unlawful Distribution of a Controlled Substance charge against defendant Brian Pirraglia.
After a brief sentencing hearing, Judge Dawn Nichols sentenced Pirraglia to life in prison.
On February 8, 2022, authorities responded to Pirraglia’s home where he told first responders the victim was suffering from an injury related to a possible seizure. The victim was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced dead hours later.
As the investigation continued, several items of drug paraphernalia and fentanyl were located in the Pirraglia’s bedroom where it was reported the victim and Pirraglia were hanging out just before 911 was called.
An autopsy later revealed that the cause of death was in fact fentanyl toxicity. Evidence presented in the trial showed that Pirraglia distributed the fentanyl to the victim via injection.
The case was investigated by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant State Attorneys Jason Lewis and Jennifer Dunton successfully prosecuted the case for the state.
