A Longview man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for selling counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.
Don Paul Rickman, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. On September 12, 2024, U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker sentenced Rickman to 240 months in federal prison.
Court documents reveal that Rickman sold pills purported to be prescription medication to a victim. The victim’s mother later discovered him dead in his bedroom. The pills were later found to be laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid significantly more potent than morphine or heroin. An autopsy confirmed that fentanyl overdose was the cause of death.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a public safety alert about the increasing danger of fake prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. The DEA's One Pill Can Kill campaign aims to educate the public about the risks associated with counterfeit pills and urges people to only take medications prescribed by a licensed medical professional and dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. For more information, visit DEA’s One Pill Can Kill.
This case was investigated by the DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), and Longview Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek prosecuted the case.
