United States Drug Enforcement Administration

SAN DIEGO – Olatunde James Temitope Akintonde of El Cajon, California pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday, admitting that he sold fentanyl-laced pills that caused the death of a nineteen-year-old Santee, California man, identified in court records as S.J.G., in March of 2019.

According to his plea agreement, Akintonde admitted that he sent messages to S.J.G. through social media on February 28, 2019, to coordinate the 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 in his plea agreement 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.

"As fentanyl-related overdose deaths continue to rise at an alarming rate in San Diego County and throughout the United States, DEA is determined to track down these drug dealers and bring them to justice," said Special Agent in Charge John W. Callery.

 “The epidemic of counterfeit fentanyl-laced pills poisoning our community has raised the stakes of drug dealing considerably,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Dealers who ignore these risks and carry on with their deadly trade will be pursued and prosecuted.”

Akintonde is scheduled to be sentenced on September 24, 2021 at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino.

This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Attorney’s Office 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 in response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County. Investigators assigned to 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 Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, California Department of Health Care Services, Federal Bureau of Investigations, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office

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