SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Placer County, California, prosecutors for the first time have filed murder charges against a defendant accused of selling the synthetic opioid fentanyl to a person who later died.
Carson David Schewe, 20, faces charges of murder and possession of a controlled substance for sale in connection with the victim's death, the Placer County District Attorney's Office announced in a news release Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors did not release the name or age of the person who died after consuming the fentanyl.
Schewe appeared in Placer Superior Court Tuesday afternoon. His arraignment was postponed until Feb. 22. Prosecutors said the court appointed the Placer County Public Defender's Office to represent Schewe, who remained in custody at the Placer County Jail where he was being held without bail.
Prosecutors allege Schewe on Dec. 3 sold fentanyl to the victim who later died. The Roseville Police Department and the Placer County Special Investigations Unit investigated the death and arrested Schewe on Feb. 10.
"Placer County has been tragically affected by the national fentanyl epidemic," District Attorney Morgan Gire said in the news release. "We are committed to combating this crisis with continued education and awareness efforts, extensive prevention campaigns and aggressive prosecution of those who seek to peddle this deadly drug in our community."
