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A man in a Santa Barbara County jail has been found guilty after the fentanyl overdose death of another inmate.
According to evidence presented at the trial, 32-year-old Kaelen Jacobkeali Wendel smuggled the synthetic opioid into the jail when he first arrived in October of 2022. Authorities say Wendel packed fentanyl into candy containers and snuck them into the jail.
Wendel passed the fentanyl to another inmate, 36-year-old Michael Villapania, who then sold the drug to two victims identified only by their initials, E.E. and J.V.
Both victims ingested the opioid during the early morning hours of Oct. 20, 2022, and overdosed on the fentanyl. Another inmate alerted deputies who were on guard at the jail, and both E.E. and J.V. were given multiple doses of Narcan, the life-saving medication used to reverse opioid overdoses as well as CPR.
E.E. died, but deputies and nurses were able to revive J.V.
Wendel was found guilty of the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injury, which is a felony that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years to life in prison. His sentencing will take place on June 21.
Villapania pleaded guilty to one count of the distribution of fentanyl and faces up to 20 years in prison.
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