Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Giving Fentanyl that Killed Man
WICHITA, Kan. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty today to one count of distribution of a controlled substance which resulted in death.
According to court documents, on July 31, 2019, Tyler Ralls, 35, of Wichita gave Michael Marsalla, 35, a fake pill while the two men were working together at a company in Park City, Kansas. Ralls admits that he knew the pill contained fentanyl and knew that Marsalla didn’t have a tolerance for fentanyl. When Marsalla didn’t arrive at work the next day and couldn’t be reached, Ralls drove to Marsalla’s house in Valley Center, Kansas, and found him unresponsive. After calling 911, Ralls phoned his source for fentanyl pills to discuss whether anyone had ever died after taking them. Emergency responders pronounced Marsalla deceased at the scene. A subsequent autopsy determined the victim died of fentanyl toxicity.
The Drug Enforcement Administration recently announced that seven out of 10 fake pills seized by DEA has a lethal dose of fentanyl. Two milligrams, the amount that will fit on the tip of a pencil, is considered enough to kill most people.
Ralls is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 17, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Valley Center Police Department are investigating the case.
