ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis County man was sentenced to prison after selling fentanyl that killed a pregnant woman in 2018.
Raymond Blankenship, 27, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp.
Blankenship sold fentanyl capsules to a pregnant woman on Sept. 17, 2018, according to the press release.
The victim originally tried to buy painkillers from the 27-year-old but he told the woman he was out but would call someone else to see if they had any drugs. The two later met and Blankenship knew he was providing the victim fentanyl and knew she was pregnant, according to the press release.
The victim died a few hours later due to acute fentanyl intoxication. Her family found her after the overdose and were unable to save her. She was the mother of a young boy as well.
“Our world is forever changed,” one of the victim’s relatives told Judge Schelp. “Fentanyl is the work of the devil.”
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and police detectives posed as the woman and arranged to buy more drugs from Blankenship.
When police tried to arrest him, he ran and swallowed some of the capsules containing fentanyl, according to the press release.
The judge also ordered Blankenship to pay $10,300 to the victim's mother on top of the sentencing.
To watch 5 On Your Side broadcasts or reports 24/7, 5 On Your Side is always streaming on 5+. Download for free on Roku or Amazon Fire TV.
