SJ Man Sentenced To 6+ Years Over Fentanyl Death

SAN JOSE, CA — A San Jose man will serve 80 months in prison for selling fentanyl-laced pills that caused a deadly overdose last year, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.

Ian Parrish, 28, pleaded guilty to the charge in August and this week received his sentence in federal court. According to prosecutors, Parrish sold four pills to an Ohio man inside a Fremont bar on Aug. 16, 2022. At least two of the pills were counterfeit.

Parrish admitted he did not know whether the pills were genuine, despite assuring the victim otherwise, according to court documents. The buyer collapsed less than 20 minutes after consuming a pill and leaving the bar, and medics were unable to resuscitate him. The man is survived by a spouse, six children and 11 grandchildren.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Parrish will serve an 80-month prison sentence followed by three years of supervised release. Following the outcome of the case, the prosecutors shared a few reminders about the dangers of pills bought on the street.

"Fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, is a highly potent opiate that can be diluted with cutting agents to create counterfeit pills that purport to mimic the effects of Oxycodone, Percocet, and other drugs, but can be obtained at a lower cost," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. "However, very small variations in the amount or quality of fentanyl create huge effects on the potency of the counterfeit pills and can easily cause death."