Two more arrested in connection to Colorado Springs teen fentanyl overdose
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (KRDO)-- Newly revealed court documents show that two additional people have been arrested on federal drug charges in connection with the overdose death of a Colorado Springs teen.
KUSA-TV in Denver, obtained federal court records that accuse two El Paso County adults, Douglas Floyd, and Marlene McGuire, of giving Maria-Davis-Conchie pills laced with fentanyl. Davis-Conchie was arrested on drug charges after she sold the pills to three minors, including her son, who was found dead the following morning.
An FBI agent investigating the case said that Floyd and McGuire hung around Davis-Conchie. The agent wrote that Davis-Conchie connected the three minors to the pair.
The night before the 16-year-old was found dead, he was reportedly out with his friends who later dropped him off at home. Police responded to the boy's home on the morning of January 31.
Police spoke with the other two boys, who told them they were sold the drugs by Davis-Conchie, who went by the name of 'CeCe.'
The teens told police they were first sold Xanax by Davis-Conchie and Floyd, multiple times over a year, starting in late 2020. They were reportedly unsure if Davis-Conchie had a prescription, or how she would acquire the controlled substance.
Davis-Conchie, who is still in custody on a $100,000 bond, appeared before a judge Thursday. Her charges have changed since her arrest warrant was originally issued on February 16. Davis-Conchie was initially facing five charges, including child abuse resulting in injury, but that charge was dropped Thursday. An additional charge was downgraded from a level one felony, to a level two.
The involvement of federal investigators could be a strong indication of what additional charges could come for Davis-Conchie. It is notoriously difficult for prosecutors to charge suspects in overdose deaths at the state level, but not as much at the federal level.
"The reality is, Colorado law doesn't provide a specific sentence enhancer or other offense for the knowing distribution of fentanyl resulting in someone's death," Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser told KRDO Friday. "In the federal system, there is a sentence enhancer for the drug distribution of deadly narcotics."
In 2019, a law was passed in the state legislature that changed the classification for possession of up to four grams of most drugs, including fentanyl, to a class one misdemeanor instead of a felony.
Now, with fentanyl deaths and seizures at a rapid pace, and ending up in the hands of kids, Weiser believes the law was a mistake.
Weiser says he is confident a bill will be introduced during this state legislative session, to reverse the change.
"That reclassification decision, I believe, needs to be revisited," Weiser continued. "You take this pill, it could kill you. It's Russian roulette. We need to go after those who are distributing, knowing the risk."
Weiser acknowledged that drugs in the community have become increasingly dangerous,
"People don't realize how deadly this drug is and that it's coming in all forms. If you need Xanax, for example, get it from a licensed practitioner, do not buy it on the street. It could kill you."
He also reaffirmed that he is willing to help local prosecutors go after the people handing out the lethal drug.
"We also need to get out the word to all prosecutors, all law enforcement, [that] we as a state are going to provide resources to support you because these are hard investigations."
