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MORGAN — A Morgan County man has been charged with selling an unidentified drug to a 17-year-old boy who overdosed and nearly died.
Parker Lewis Pentz, 19, of Croydon, was charged Wednesday in 2nd District Court with drug distribution, two counts of drug possession with intent to distribute and child endangerment resulting in serious injury, all second-degree felonies; as well as drug possession and possession of drug paraphernalia, class B misdemeanors.
On March 31, a 17-year-old boy bought a pill from Pentz, took half of it and overdosed, according to police.
"After meeting at a predetermined location, the individual entered Parker’s vehicle and purchased a yellow pill from Parker for $10. After consuming half of the pill, the individual overdosed and was rushed to the hospital," according to charging documents.
"It hit me instantly and that wasn't very normal," the teen told the Deseret News earlier this week on the condition that his name not be used.
Emergency crews responded to the boy's home after his father called to him to get his laundry, and then went to check on him after getting no response. He found his son struggling to breathe.
"His tongue was basically lodged all the way down so he wasn't getting any air," the man said.
Morgan County sheriff's deputy Gary Dudley said based on the boy's reaction to the drug, investigators were looking at the possibility that the pill was the drug "‘pink,’ or something similar to it."
"It was a straight up miracle that the teen didn't die," Dudley said, noting that he could not find a heartbeat. "Personally, I thought he was dead. … As I was working on this young man, I honestly pictured his funeral."
The next day, a confidential informant contacted the sheriff's office, the charges state.
"The individual reported they arranged to purchase a pill from Parker Pentz. The individual stated Parker orders pills from the deep web and has them delivered to his home address," the charges state.
Investigators served a search warrant on Pentz's house on Sunday and found drug paraphernalia in addition to "numerous test tubes and bottles filled with various substances. (Drug field) tests determined from one of the test tubes there was cocaine, and from another liquid methamphetamine. Parker had 12 pages of paperwork documenting his prices, transactions and names of sales of controlled substances. Marijuana flakes and two marijuana roaches were found in Parker’s room," the charges state.
Charging documents do not state exactly what type of drug the teen victim ingested. Dudley said it was sent to the Utah State Crime Lab for testing to determine if it was, indeed, “pink” or something else.
“Pink,” or U-47700, is a powerful opioid that until recently, could be legally ordered from China. Police say some doses are so lethal that even touching it can lead to death.
Two 13-year-old Park City boys — friends Grant Seaver and Ryan Ainsworth — died within 48 hours of each other in September after overdosing on the drug. A 16-year-old boy was sentenced to probation last week in connection with that case.
The mother of the 17-year-old Morgan boy said she hopes other parents will learn from her painful experience.
An initial court appearance for Pentz is scheduled for April 12.
In a separate case, Pentz was charged Monday in 2nd District Court with possession of drug paraphernalia, a class B misdemeanor; and a controlled substance charge with enhancements, a class A misdemeanor.
According to Layton police, Pentz was pulled over for a traffic violation in their jurisdiction about 11 p.m. Saturday, which would have been after the teen overdosed and before Pentz's house was searched. In his car, officers found marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to police. He was not suspected of driving while impaired.
In December, Pentz pleaded guilty to impaired driving, a class B misdemeanor, in Morgan County Justice Court.
In 2011, when Pentz was 14, he was charged in adult court with drug possession in a school zone, a second-degree felony. According to charging documents, Pentz was picked up for violating his probation in juvenile court.
"After the arrest, the Morgan High School administration chose to conduct a search of Parker's belongings for contraband. During their search, the high school principal located a baggie with a substance similar to mushrooms (psilocybin) inside Parker's backpack," the charges state.
That case was late dropped as part of a deal with his juvenile court case, according to court records. Email: preavy@deseretnews.com Twitter: DNewsCrimeTeam
