LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – A Lubbock man will spend 20 years in prison for providing a woman the fentanyl that killed her.<\/p>\n
Donnie Ford pleaded guilty to the second degree felony charge of manufacturing and delivery causing death.<\/p>\n
He admits he gave the victim, referred to only as D. Vargas, the synthetic pills in 2024.<\/p>\n
Vargas requested fentanyl specifically, and the pills killed her almost instantly.<\/p>\n
Ford was originally charged with murder after the state enhanced penalties for fentanyl-related death in 2024. Prosecutors chose to accept a lesser charge because of Vargas\u2019 choice.<\/p>\n
Lubbock County Assistant District Attorney Russell Mayne said, \u201cThat statute was really designed to go after our drug kingpins, the guys who are moving tons of weight, causing tons of deaths in and around the counties, so that\u2019s to get the people who are hiding fentanyl in the drugs and things like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ford\u2019s defense attorney, Nick Olguin, said, \u201cThe fact the legislators decided to make the delivery of fentanyl a murder case, sort of like a strict liability case, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s really fair, I think there\u2019s an element of personal responsibility from the victim in this case.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victim\u2019s mother grieving for daughter<\/p>\n
The victim\u2019s mother told the court she\u2019s grieving her daughter each day.<\/p>\n
In a statement, she noted the state placed Vargas\u2019 daughter with another family, so she has to watch her, in her words, \u201csuffer because of something she had absolutely no control over.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said while the court can\u2019t undo her loss, she hopes accountability will help her live with what happened.<\/p>\n
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