13 Tampa Bay Residents Indicted After 6 Opioid Overdose Deaths

TAMPA, FL — The U.S. Attorney's Office has charged 13 people from Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough counties with supplying illegal opioids that led to the deaths of six people from drug overdoses.

This week, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Florida U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announced six indictments and one arrest of 13 Tampa Bay residents accused of dealing opioids. The indictments were handed down by a grand jury on May 20 and 27. The arrest occurred Saturday.

Those indicted were:

• Jared Collins, 26, of Wesley Chapel
• Kimberly Fleer, 27, of Seffner
• Justin Lebarron, 27, of New Port Richey
• Brittney Smith, 29, of New Port Richey
• Vincent Sanchez, 34, of New Port Richey
• Michael Phelps, 44, of Port Richey
• Krystin Horner, 31, of Port Richey
• Thomas Lynch, 57, of Riverview
• Shawn Ryno, 31, of Riverview
• Christina O'Brien, 36, of Riverview
• Isaih Reed, 31, of Tampa
• Jarran Riley, 34, of Clearwater
• Jack Rice, 35, of St. Petersburg

The cases against Collins, Lebarron, Rice and Riley were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Secret Service, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Clearwater Police Department, the Pinellas Park Police Department and the St. Petersburg Police Department as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.

The task force is charged with investigating organizations involved in serious cases of drug trafficking and money laundering.

The cases against Fleer, Lynch and Reed were investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office as part of the Middle District of Florida’s anti-opioid strategy to combat opioid trafficking and abuse.

Charges include the distribution of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine resulting in the deaths of the drug users, drug conspiracy and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

All the cases will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Baeza and Diego Novaes. If convicted, the 13 people indicted are facing possible sentences ranging from 15 years minimum to life in federal prison.

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office was involved in four of the investigations. Sheriff Chris Nocco said his office has been battling the distribution of illegal opioids for years.

However, in the past five months as stay-at-home orders were instituted due to the coronavirus pandemic, he said his office has seen a marked increase in the use of this deadly drug.

Since the first of the year, Pasco Sheriff's senior training analyst Chris Lofgren said deputies have responded to more than 400 drug overdoses, 77 of which died.

Courtesy Pasco County Sheriff

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pharmaceutical fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever used for treating severe pain, such as advanced cancer pain. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.

The drug overdoses and deaths that have become epidemic across the country are linked to illegally manufactured fentanyl, which is often mixed with heroin or cocaine.

Drug users purchase cocaine and heroin from dealers without realizing the drugs contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl.

Opioid abuse was already on the rise in the United States when the coronavirus pandemic was declared, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The pandemic only exacerbated the problem because drug users tend to self-medicate to relieve stress caused by concerns about employment, economic difficulties and fear of contracting the coronavirus. Those stresses combined with the loneliness caused by the isolation during the stay-at-home orders has caused drug addicts to increase their drug usage and former addicts to revert to using drugs again, according to the SAMHSA.

"With added stresses, this number will continue to rise when comparing this pandemic to other historic national crises, such as the terrorist attacks on 9/11," said the SAMHSA. "Studies revealed that many people sought self-medicating as a way to cope with symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (following the terrorist attacks)."

The Pasco Sheriff's Office is urging those experiencing drug abuse problems or have a loved one experiencing drug problems to call 800-662-HELP.

See related stories:

• Addicted To Opioids: Does Pasco County Have The Solution?
• This Drug Causes More Overdose Deaths Than Any Other In U.S.
• Drug Bust Aimed At Taking Fentanyl Off Pasco County Streets
• Brothers Arrested Following Year-Long Drug Investigation
• USF Study Shows More Opioid Overdose Deaths Than Reported