Vancouver, Wash. – An online narcotics dealer pled guilty on Thursday to charges related to the distribution of fentanyl analogues and synthetic opioids. Through the guilty plea, Chukwuemeka Okparaeke admitted to selling a synthetic opioid to an 18-year-old Vancouver man who died from an overdose after using the drug.

Okparaeke pled guilty to distributing U-47700, a controlled substance analogue of AH-7921, and other charges in U.S. District Court in White Plains N.Y. Through the guilty plea, Okparaeke admitted to selling U-47700 to Tim N. Teklinski of Vancouver.

Teklinski, 18, died on Nov. 10, 2016. The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death accidental and determined the cause of death was U-47700 intoxication.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, from at least July 2016 through March 2017, Okparaeke imported fentanyl analogues, including acryl fentanyl and furanyl fentanyl, and other synthetic opioids, including U-47700, from Hong Kong and China into the U.S.

In November 2016, Okparaeke sold 3 grams of U-47700 to Teklinski using a darknet website. Prior to his death, Teklinski left a review on Okparaeke’s darknet vendor page confirming he received the drugs he ordered, according to the Department of Justice.

Okparaeke is scheduled to be sentenced in U.S. District Court on Dec. 17.

For more information, see the Department of Justice news release.

CONTACT

Marissa Armstrong
senior communications specialist
Public Health
marissa.armstrong@clark.wa.gov