A Saginaw man was sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison Monday after admitting he took part in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy tied to a fatal overdose in Argyle in 2023.
Kevin Chase McCauley, 38, was sentenced to 210 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
Prosecutors said the case began on March 8, 2023, when Denton County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to a home on Stonecrest Road in Argyle. There, they found a person who had died from an overdose involving fentanyl-laced counterfeit hydrocodone pills.
Investigators later determined the pills had been purchased from McCauley, who pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge in September.
Federal officials said the investigation was conducted through the Homeland Security Task Force, a multiagency partnership that includes the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal agencies.
The task force works with local law enforcement agencies to investigate drug trafficking, violent crime and other offenses that cross jurisdictional lines.
Authorities have repeatedly warned that fentanyl remains one of the most dangerous drugs in the illicit market because it is often mixed into other substances or pressed into counterfeit pills without the buyer's knowledge.
Even a small amount can cause an overdose, and officials say the drug continues to drive overdose deaths across Texas and the country.
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is KERA's breaking news reporters. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel at erivas@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
