Man sentenced to 15 years for fentanyl overdose of Cathedral City teen
A man convicted in the fentanyl overdose of a 16-year-old Cathedral City resident was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.
The incident took place on December 9, 2022, when Cathedral City Police Officers and Cathedral City Fire Department responded to a fentanyl (drug) overdose involving a 16-year-old. The teen was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs to receive medical aid and survived.
An investigation was then launched by the Cathedral City Police Department and members of the Coachella Valley's Narcotics Task Force. Through their investigation, police were able to identify the man responsible for providing fentanyl to the teen, causing the overdose.
Kevin Burgess was located and arrested in the City of Desert Hot Springs by the Coachella Valley Narcotics Task Force. With the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Burgess was federally indicted for narcotics sale causing great bodily injury.
Burgess pleaded guilty on March 8, 2024, and on June 14, 2024, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison with 3 years of supervised release probation upon his release.
Cathedral City Police Department would like to educate the public of the dangers of fentanyl abuse and the consequences of selling fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin as an analgesic. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is manufactured in overseas labs, principally in China, and is smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border by cartels. The drug can be mixed into any number of street narcotics and prescription drugs without a user knowing what he or she is consuming, and ingestion of only two milligrams can be fatal.
Fentanyl is the leading cause of death for Americans between 18 and 45 years old.
News Channel 3 has repeatedly gone in-depth on the opioid and fentanyl crisis and how it's affecting our valley.
Visit Our 'Fentanyl Crisis' Section For More Coverage
Earlier this year, News Channel 3 anchor Karen Devine hosted the town hall with professionals in healthcare, education, and law enforcement who shared the work they’ve been doing to ‘Combat the Fentanyl Crisis’ throughout the Coachella Valley.
If you or someone you know has an addiction problem and is looking for some help, we've included some information on local resources for you.
RECOVER - Online addiction treatment for alcohol and opioid use
- RECOVER - Online addiction treatment for alcohol and opioid use
- Hazelden Betty Ford
