Key opioid dealer in Tri-Cities going to federal prison. Here’s how he was caught

One of the first major distributors of the highly addictive drug fentanyl in the Tri-Cities area has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.

Taylor Fertig, 24, of Kennewick, was selling large quantities of “fake Oxy’s.” Sometimes called “Mexis,” they are pills that appeared to be prescription oxycodone but were laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid.

He pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and three additional charges related to fentanyl and heroin were dropped in the plea deal.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says fentanyl, which was developed to manage pain in cancer patients, is as much as 100 times stronger than morphine.

It is largely responsible for the marked increase in drug overdoses and deaths in Eastern Washington, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern Washington District, which prosecuted the case.

U.S. Judge Edward Shea said the decade-long sentence was justified given the dangers of fentanyl, the quantity of pills Fertig was selling and the multiple guns found in his home and car, according to the Department of Justice.

Fertig’s accomplice, Sean Buck, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 24 in the Richland federal courthouse.

Drug team tipped

The Tri-Cities Metro Drug Task Force was tipped to Fertig’s operation after a person the task force arrested agreed to be a cooperating witness. The witness said Fertig was selling about 2,500 pills a week that came from Mexico.

After surveillance of Fertig’s Finley home, a controlled buy was set up by the Tri-Cities Drug Enforcement Administration.

The buyer met Fertig at the parking lot of a Clearwater Avenue business in Kennewick and got into his Cadillac, according to court documents.

He drove to a taco truck and had her buy him a meal and then returned to the Clearwater Avenue parking lot, where he sold her 100 fentanyl pills for $2,400, according to court documents.

After Fertig was indicted in June 2018, a search warrant was served at his house.

Fertig ran into a field, but was caught by officers and found to be carrying a bag with $12,000 and 10 fentanyl pills, according to court documents

The search of his home found detailed drug ledgers and three pistols. More than 1,000 fentanyl pills, 50 grams of heroin and a loaded pistol were found in his Cadillac, according to court documents.

Supported his habit

Buck took over the illegal drug operation when Fertig went to jail and also collected drug debts on Fertig’s behalf, according to court documents.

Buck was arrested in August by the Oregon State Police and found to have 1,000 fentanyl pills in the headrest of his car and a loaded gun under the driver’s seat, according to court documents.

Fertig’s attorney said Fertig had begun dealing fentanyl to support his own addiction, which included smoking as many as 50 pills a day.

Keith Weis of the Drug Enforcement Administration said he was pleased with Fertig’s 10-year sentence to be followed with five years of probation.

“Opioid abuse is spreading like wildfire, devastating our communities, and we will aggressively pursue those most responsible for fueling the flames,” he said.

This story was originally published June 27, 2019 at 4:52 PM.