Feds: San Gabriel Woman Allegedly Sold 'Purported Cocaine' That Caused Several Pasadena Overdoses; 2 Were Fatal
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A San Gabriel woman faces a federal charge for allegedly selling drugs that caused several overdoses in Pasadena.
Marisol Bolanos Hernandez, 35, was charged Friday with one count of drug distribution resulting in serious bodily injury, according to federal prosecutors. Bolanos was taken into custody Thursday by DEA agents.
Prosecutors say the defendant sold narcotics to several men who overdosed on Sept. 11, two of whom died.
One man and his friend were found unresponsive at a Pasadena location that night and taken to local hospitals. One of the men recovered, but the second died two days later.
The survivor, identified by prosecutors as A.C., was saved by a dose of Narcan. His urine sample tested positive for cocaine, prosecutors said. A.C. told Pasadena police he bought cocaine from a woman he called "Mari," and shared it with his friend who died, and they both lost consciousness after taking the "purported cocaine," an affidavit said, which also noted Bolanos was identified by A.C. out of a six-photo lineup.
Pasadena police seized white powder residue from the location, but it has not yet been tested, according to an affidavit.
Prosecutors allege Bolanos also sold the substance to two other overdose victims that night. Both of those victims were hospitalized, but survived. The affidavit said phone records linked Bolaros to a fifth, fatal overdose that night.
Bolanos was detained by Pasadena police Wednesday, and prosecutors say she admitted selling what she believed to be cocaine to three of the overdose victims, including A.C., on Sept. 11.
If convicted as charged, Bolanos faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
