Oregon man charged after fentanyl overdose death of Portland teen
Duane Robert Hill tried flushing fentanyl pills down toilet as police closed in, prosecutors say
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}An Oregon man is facing federal charges for allegedly selling the fentanyl-laced pills that resulted in the overdose death of a 17-year-old Portland teen, authorities said Wednesday.
Duane Robert Hill, 38, of Gresham, was arrested Wednesday after police executed a search warrant at his home following an investigation into the teen’s death, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon said in a news release.
Hill tried to flush pills down his toilet when police arrived, including multiple pills that were rainbow-colored, according to authorities.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Investigators were led to Hill after responding to the teen’s overdose death on June 16 and finding one full and one-half blue "M-30" pill on the victim’s desk along with small amounts of an unknown crystal substance and a white powder residue, prosecutors said.
Investigators said Hill tried to flush rainbow-colored fentanyl down his toilet as police closed in. (U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon)
The recovered pills were determined to be counterfeit Oxycodone pills manufactured with fentanyl.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}During the investigation, prosecutors said detectives learned that Hill was a third-level supplier of the fentanyl pills that were believed to have caused the teen’s death and were found in the teen's room.
Hill allegedly sold counterfeit pills in quantities of 10 to 100 pills around Portland for nearly a year, pocketing $4 to $5 per pill.
Police seized more than 200 M-30 pills from Hill's home and vehicle. (U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon)
He was arrested without incident and investigators recovered more than 200 M-30 pills from his home and vehicle, along with a 9mm handgun, a scale, assorted drug packaging materials and $4,480 in cash.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Police also seized a 9mm handgun, a scale, assorted drug packaging materials and $4,480 in cash. (U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon)
Hill was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.
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Authorities warned that "rainbow fentanyl" has appeared recently in several forms in cities across the country. In the Portland area, prosecutors described seized forms of the drug as looking like thick pieces of brightly colored sidewalk chalk or small multi-colored pills sometimes referred to as "skittles."