Maui Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Trafficking Fentanyl Resulting in Death

News Release from U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Hawaii, Tuesday, December 10, 2024

HONOLULU – United States Attorney Clare E. Connors announced that Jose Elias Camacho, 34, of Maui, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway to 144 months in prison for trafficking in fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl that resulted in an overdose death. Camacho previously pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute in June 2024.

Camacho admitted that in August 2020, he sold five fake oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to a 24-year-old man, who ingested the pills and overdosed. First responders revived the victim and transported him to the hospital for further treatment. The victim discharged himself later that day and contacted Camacho to buy more pills. Camacho admitted knowing the victim had just been hospitalized. Despite this knowledge, Camacho sold the victim five more pills. The following morning, the victim was found dead at his home. An autopsy report indicated that he died of a polydrug overdose. A medical toxicologist who later reviewed the case determined the victim would not have overdosed and died but for the fentanyl Camacho distributed to him. 

Camacho admitted that he continued to distribute the pills after learning of the victim’s overdose death. On October 2,  2020, members of the Maui Police Department working in an undercover capacity set up a deal to purchase approximately 50 pills from Camacho, who was arrested as he left his house to conduct the transaction. Police searched him and his home and found approximately 400 light blue pills bearing the marking “M 30” and designed to resemble prescription oxycodone. The pills were tested by a lab and were found to contain fentanyl.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment, fentanyl manufactured by Mexican drug cartels is the main driver behind the ongoing epidemic of  drug poisoning deaths in the United States.  The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that in 2022, national overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids other than methadone (primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl) comprised 73,838 of the 107,941 lives lost to drug overdose deaths. The DEA’s 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment further notes that fake oxycodone pills present a particular risk—both because 7 in 10 fake pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl and because users are often unaware that the pills contain fentanyl at all.

“Camacho knew the deadly risk of selling illegal narcotics, and in particular, he knew the heightened risk associated with the tragic death in this case. Even after learning of the victim’s death, Camacho continued to sell a large quantity of the lethal pills, endangering a great number of lives,” said United States Attorney Connors. “This sentence sends a powerful message that dealers whose  products contain lethal doses of illegal narcotics, including fentanyl, will face severe consequences for contributing to the scourge of overdose deaths on our community.”

The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maui Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mohammad Khatib and Michael Albanese prosecuted the case.