SAN DIEGO — A California man and a "Most Wanted" fugitive was arrested July 22 in Orange County for his alleged involvement in in selling counterfeit oxycodone pills to a 17-year-old who died in Lake Forest of a fentanyl overdose. The arrest was made by members of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)-led Fentanyl Abatement and Suppression Team (FAST) and the U.S. Marshals Service.
“This is a great example of law enforcement agencies working together to locate, identify and arrest a known fugitive of the law,” said HSI San Diego acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Davis. “The defendant will no longer be able to hide from the alleged crimes he committed, which resulted in the death of a teenager.”
As reported in this news release, on April 22, 2022, Tyler David Wilkinson, 23, of Santa Ana, was named in a four-count federal grand jury indictment for his role in selling counterfeit fentanyl pills. According to court records, the teenage victim purchased the pills in June 2021 after responding to an advertisement Wilkinson posted on Snapchat. Six months before the transaction that led to the teen’s death, Wilkinson allegedly possessed distribution quantities of several types of narcotics, including nearly 1,400 counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl. Wilkinson allegedly continued to sell fentanyl-laced pills, even after law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence.
“The successful capture of Wilkinson stands as a testament to the unwavering dedication and remarkable collaborative efforts of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners. Without their tireless efforts and coordinated actions, this significant achievement — bringing justice to the victims and ensuring public safety — would have not been possible,” said U.S. Marshal David Singer.
Until now, Wilkinson was a fugitive sought by authorities. The Central District of California is prosecuting this case.
Indictments and criminal complaints contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
FAST is a multiagency task force led by HSI and working in partnership with federal, state and local agencies to target significant fentanyl distributors and smugglers in San Diego County. HSI’s FAST mission is to have an impact on the rising overdose rate and decrease the availability and accessibility of fentanyl through these targeted investigative and enforcement efforts. FAST is an initiative under the San Diego Imperial Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. FAST comprises special agents and task force officers from HSI, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the California Department of Justice, the Escondido Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.