Mishawaka man sentenced to over 23 years for selling fentanyl to a person who later died from the drug
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A man who pled guilty to distributing fentanyl resulting in death was sentenced this week in the United States District Court in South Bend.
Twenty-six-year-old Jarin Devon Noojin, of Mishawaka, was sentenced to 286 months, over 23 years, in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
“The CDC estimates that 76,226 persons died in 2022 from drug overdoses involving Synthetic Opioids (fentanyl),” said United States Attorney’s Clifford Johnson.
“The evidence in this case established that this defendant was a dealer who was responsible for one of those deaths. Noojin’s criminal actions were particularly coldhearted because he knew that he was making and selling “pressed” fentanyl pills, pressing those pills to look like prescription medication, and that 'his' pills were causing overdoses."
According to documents in the case, in October 2022, Noojin sold fentanyl pills to an individual who died from acute fentanyl toxicity after consuming some of the pills.
"The investigation revealed that despite knowing that the pills he trafficked were involved in this death, Noojin continued selling fentanyl pills," authorities said. "Noojin was well aware of the risk of overdose that came with consuming the pills he sold, warning one of his customers not to mix other prescriptions with his pills."
Law enforcement says they learned that Noojin had been selling fentanyl for months prior to the victim’s death and that he personally witnessed at least one other person overdose multiple times from using the fentanyl he sold.
A family members of Austin Wilson reached out to share that they firmly believe Noojin sold Wilson the fentanyl that caused his overdose.
Wilson was a 26-year-old Mishawaka High School grad living in Elkhart who was struggling with depression and anxiety.
He died alone in a camper in Cass County, Mich. in October of 2022 after overdosing on fentanyl.
“The actions of Mr. Noojin played a devasting and horrific effect on society, which included the death of an individual. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and its partners will continue to work tirelessly to hold fentanyl dealers, such as Mr. Noojin, and drug trafficking organizations accountable for their brutality and cruelty,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alfred Cooke III.
“Law enforcement remains engaged and motivated to remove the plague of drug trafficking; evil will never win. There is no room in Michiana, or anywhere across the region, for those who think dealing illicit fentanyl is a way of life. DEA expresses its sincerest condolences to the family of the deceased in this incident, and to all families of those lost to fentanyl.”
