A man from Scranton faces over two decades of imprisonment for providing a lethal drug mixture to a juvenile. Federico Rosario, aged 30, received a 24-year prison sentence from Senior U.S. District Judge Robert D. Mariani for his involvement in possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and drug distribution that led to death. This verdict was announced following a news release by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Initially, Rosario began selling small amounts of cocaine to a 17-year-old victim in July 2021. On August 11, 2021, he sold the minor 0.4 grams of a substance he claimed was cocaine. Shortly after consumption, the victim messaged Rosario, questioning the contents of the drugs due to experiencing disorienting effects. Within eight seconds, another message was sent, but Rosario did not reply, and tragically, the victim was discovered deceased the next morning.
Authorities confirmed through laboratory tests that the substance was a combination of cocaine and fentanyl. The autopsy and toxicology results indicated that the minor had lethal levels of fentanyl at the time of death. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Scranton Police Department investigated the case, with experts asserting that the healthy minor’s death was directly linked to the ingestion of fentanyl—a substance known to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.
After a four-day trial, a jury found Rosario guilty on three counts related to the possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of drug distribution resulting in death.
Impact on Daily Life
The conviction of Federico Rosario highlights the severe consequences of distributing dangerous drugs, significantly impacting public awareness of drug safety. This case underscores the importance of understanding the deadly risks associated with substances like fentanyl, which have been increasingly involved in overdose deaths across communities.
For families and individuals, this serves as a stark reminder of the critical need for vigilance and education about drug use, particularly among the youth. Communities may be prompted to increase efforts in drug education and prevention programs, aiming to reduce the incidence of such tragedies and foster safer environments for adolescents and young adults.