Californai man who sold fentanyl that killed 18-year-old sentenced to 25 years

A Hawaiian Gardens man was sentenced Monday, Dec. 2, to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to selling fentanyl to an 18-year-old who died from an overdose.

Gregory Hevener, 47, also was ordered to pay $45,100 in restitution.

A jury found Hevener guilty of one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin following a seven-day trial in June, according to the Department of Justice.

An 18-year-old responded in November 2020 to an ad Hevener placed on OfferUp for “BLACK TAR ROOFING MATERIALS!!,” a code for black tar heroin. Hevener ran or had access to multiple accounts on the platform, which he used to advertise and distribute drugs, including fentanyl and heroin, the DOJ said.

The 18-year-old purchased what he believed to be heroin from Hevener in Hawaiian Gardens. Hevener actually sold him a black tar-like substance containing fentanyl and tramadol, a pain relief medication, according to the DOJ.

After the teen drove home, he took the drugs and died of an overdose.

Law enforcement searched trash cans outside of Hevener’s home in July and October 2021 and found discarded plastic bags and burnt pieces of tin foil containing fentanyl and tramadol residue, the DOJ said.

Officials performed another search in December 2021 and found a plastic bag with around 245 grams of black tar heroin, a digital scale, burnt tin foil and another plastic bag with around 1.2 grams of fentanyl.

Hevener has been in federal custody since February 2022.