Antelope Valley Man Faces New Charge Alleging He Knowingly Sold Fentanyl to Second Victim Who Died
LOS ANGELES – A Palmdale man already facing one charge of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death has been charged by federal grand jury indictment with an additional count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death related to the death of a Palmdale man in August, the Justice Department announced today.
Christopher Morales, 22, was named in a superseding indictment returned Wednesday by a federal grand jury that adds the new narcotics distribution count. Morales was initially charged in October in relation to the first death of a victim in Palmdale. Morales is expected to be arraigned on the superseding indictment in the coming weeks.
Morales previously was charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in a death and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The superseding indictment charges him with an additional count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
“The defendant allegedly chose financial gain over the life of another when he decided to traffic fentanyl,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “We cannot tolerate those who treat unnecessary and preventable losses of life as just the cost of doing business. Our office and our law enforcement partners will continue our steadfast campaign to help fight this fentanyl crisis and bring lawbreakers to justice.”
“Within a five-month period, two victims died of fentanyl poisoning, allegedly after receiving fentanyl from the defendant,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Deputy Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Los Angeles Field Division. “His actions serve as a reminder that drug traffickers are not going to stop distributing their poison just because someone dies. But traffickers should take notice – law enforcement is not stopping either.”
According to the indictment, the second victim died of fentanyl poisoning in August 2024 at his family’s home shortly after purchasing the drug from Morales.
Morales was arrested in the first case on September 9 on charges related to a victim who died in March 2024 in Palmdale.
During the investigation of the first incident, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department conducted a search of Morales’s residence in April 2024, which led to the discovery of 4.3 grams of fentanyl and text messages between Morales and the first victim indicating the purchase of fentanyl. More pills recovered and tested after the September 9 arrest were determined to be about an ounce of fentanyl pills.
According to the superseding indictment, the second victim died of fentanyl poisoning in August 2024 at his family’s home shortly after purchasing the drug from Morales.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Morales has been in federal custody since his arrest on September 9.
If convicted, Morales faces a mandatory 20-year prison sentence for each of the two counts of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Those two counts carry a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey A. Stimson of the Violent and Organized Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
