Man sentenced after selling fake pills to Salem teen who overdosed

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – An Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison on Tuesday for his role in the overdose death of a teenager in Salem, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon.

Officials said 21-year-old Javen James Pedro of Monmouth was sentenced to over six years in prison with six years’ supervised release for distributing a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21.

According to court documents, Salem police responded to the overdose of the 15-year-old on Feb. 24, 2022. Paramedics took the teen to a local hospital where he died.

Authorities said the day before, the teen bought and consumed counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl in front of other kids. Investigators also obtained video surveillance footage from a neighbor appearing to show the drug transaction.

Pedro was arrested on Feb. 24 in Monmouth and admitted to selling 10 counterfeit pills to the teen, noting he sold pills to the teen five to 10 times before the overdose.

On March 17, a federal grand jury in Portland indicted Pedro for distributing fentanyl. Pedro later pleaded guilty to one-count superseding criminal information, charging him with distributing a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21.