A Pacific Beach resident pleaded guilty to supplying a lethal dose of fentanyl powder to three people who thought they were buying cocaine on Labor Day weekend last year.
Maya Kol, 41, admitted he first purchased the fentanyl powder believing it was cocaine and felt “woozy” and “nearly lost his balance” after using it. Despite feeling ill, Kol then sold the fentanyl powder to three others in disguise for cocaine, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Shortly after delivering the drug, he was contacted by one of the buyers asking for his help. When he arrived at the buyer’s home, two people were unresponsive. Kol then went back to his house and flushed his remaining fentanyl powder down the toilet to destroy evidence.
One of the buyers died from the fentanyl powder and the two others were hospitalized. The person who supplied Kol with the fentanyl also died of a fentanyl overdose in a separate incident that weekend.
More than $5,000 in cash, scales and other drug sale evidence was found during a search of Kol's home, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Multiple agencies were involved in the case including the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.
Kol is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2020. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.