Fentanyl Trafficker Receives 19-year Federal Prison Sentence in Death of Riverside County Teen
RIVERSIDE, CA – A Riverside County man was sentenced today to 228 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl to a 17-year-old boy in May 2023, which resulted in the boy’s fatal overdose of the powerful synthetic opioid, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Los Angeles Field Division announced today.
Kyler Thomas Overby, 24 of Temecula, was sentenced by United States District Judge Sunshine S. Sykes. Judge Sykes sentenced Overby to 228 months (19 years) in federal prison and five years of supervised release for distribution of fentanyl and admitting his product caused the death of the 17-year-old juvenile and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Anthony Chrysanthis, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Los Angeles Field Division, said, “The defendant was indifferent to the vulnerabilities of those he targeted for drug sales. The victim in this case had conveyed to this drug distributor that he wanted to stop using. As court documents showed, the defendant preyed on other high school students. He had a pattern — simply looking for an easy sell. Today’s sentencing should put drug distributors on notice, we will find you and ensure you face the full force of the law.”
On September 6, 2024, defendant pled guilty to two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
In the plea agreement, defendant admitted that on May 4, 2023, he distributed fentanyl to the victim, the use of which caused teen’s death the following day.
According to court documents, Overby also possessed with the intent to distribute multiple controlled substances, including 201 grams of fentanyl, nearly one kilogram of cocaine, MDMA and alprazolam (also known by its brand name, Xanax).
Overby was also in possession of three firearms lacking serial numbers, commonly referred to as ghost guns, according to court papers.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department initiated the investigation, which later became a collaborate effort with the DEA Los Angeles Field Division (Riverside District Office).
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said, “This case represents the dedicated efforts of, investigators, and partnering agencies who worked tirelessly to identify and dismantle a significant source of this lethal drug. The individual’s sentencing reflects not only the seriousness of their crimes but also our justice system’s recognition of the devastating toll fentanyl continues to take on families throughout Riverside County.”
Sheriff Bianco added, “We want to be clear—those who traffic this deadly substance in our communities will be pursued relentlessly and brought to justice. This outcome is a reminder that we will not tolerate those who profit from death and addiction.”
Assistant United States Attorney Miles J. Robinson and Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Merrill of the Riverside Branch Office prosecuted this case.
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