Tarrant County man sentenced to 17 years in prison in fentanyl overdose fatality

A 38-year-old Tarrant County man who sold fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills that caused a fatal overdose in 2023 was sentenced to federal prison, officials said.

Kevin Chase McCauley, of Saginaw, was sentenced to more than 17 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, according to a news release from the Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office on Monday.

The Denton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a home in Argyle on March 8, 2023, for a reported overdose. When deputies arrived, they found a person who had died of an apparent drug overdose, according to the release.

Investigators determined that the individual died from an overdose of fentanyl-laced counterfeit hydrocodone pills that were purchased from McCauley, according to the release. This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Task Force.