Utah man allegedly gave woman fentanyl-laced pills that killed her

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SALT LAKE CITY — A West Jordan man who allegedly supplied fake oxycodone pills to a woman who died of fentanyl intoxication faces criminal charges in federal court.

A grand jury returned an indictment Wednesday charging John Aaron Favro, 24, with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

The woman, identified in court documents M.K.K., was found dead in a Murray apartment on Nov. 21, 2016, during a welfare check after not being seen or heard from for three days. A shoebox containing two small blue pills labelled A215, an imprint for oxycodone, was found next to her on the bed, according a complaint in U.S. District Court.

The Utah medical examiner determined that she died as a result of fentanyl intoxication, the complaint says.

The woman's parents told Drug Enforcement Administration agents that they tracked a phone number on their family cellphone plan records to Favro, according to the complaint.

Confidential sources told investigators that Favro sold more than 10,000 fentanyl-laced fake oxycodone pills, court document says. Other confidential sources told investigators that they had supplied him with pills to sell and that he was the woman's source.

M.K.K., who was participating in drug court at the time of her death, was introduced to Favro by another drug court participant, court document say.

Favro pleaded not guilty in a court hearing Thursday. He is being held in jail pending trial.

If convicted, he faces life in prison for each count. The distribution count resulting in death has a potential 20-year minimum mandatory sentence and the conspiracy count has a 10-year minimum mandatory sentence.