United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SAN DIEGO – El Cajon resident Olatunde James Temitope Akintonde was sentenced in federal court today to 15 years in prison for selling fentanyl-laced pills that caused the death of a 19-year-old Santee man, identified in court records as S.J.G., in March of 2019.

Akintonde previously admitted that he sent messages to S.J.G. through social media on February 28, 2019, to coordinate a sale of what the victim believed to be oxycodone pills. Later that evening, Akintonde delivered two counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to S.J.G. After the meeting, Akintonde sent additional messages to S.J.G. through social media warning that he should only take one of the pills because they were “strong.” Akintonde further admitted that the pills he gave to S.J.G. caused his death. According to other filings in the case, S.J.G. died in his home sometime in the evening of February 28, 2019 or the early morning hours of March 1, 2019.

Special Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and a Task Force Officer from the San Diego Sheriff’s Department led the investigation into S.J.G.’s death and quickly identified Aktinonde as the source of the fatal pills. According to the sentencing memorandum, Akintonde offered various prescription pills for sale through different social media platforms. Akintonde also posted photographs of himself brandishing firearms and posted songs promoting the use and distribution of pharmaceutical pills.

“As the number of drug overdose deaths continues to rise in San Diego County, the DEA San Diego Field Division has made investigating overdose deaths a priority,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Shelly S. Howe. “We are committed to bringing drug dealers like Olatunde James Temitope Akintonde, who poison our communities, to justice.”

“There is an epidemic of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills in our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “To be clear: If you are a drug dealer selling pills, and those pills result in death, you will be held accountable for that death. It is no defense to say you didn’t know the pills contained fentanyl.”

This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the DEA, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the San Diego Police Department, the California Department of Health Care Services and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The DEA created Narcotics Task Force Team 10 as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County. Agents from Team 10 contributed to the investigation into S.J.G.’s death.

AGENCIES: United States Attorney’s Office, San Diego Sheriff’s Department, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the San Diego Police Department, California Department of Health Care Services

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