(The Center Square) – A man from Washington County, Oregon, received a federal prison sentence last week after he sold counterfeit pills containing fentanyl to a young woman that killed her.
Robert Lamart James McCollum, 35, received a 125-month federal prison sentence plus five years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“This defendant cut short an innocent life and brought unthinkable tragedy to a local family,” Natalie Wight, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, said in a statement. “And yet, despite everything they have been through, Madolyn’s loved ones have used their experience to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and fake pills. Their efforts inspire all of us and will surely prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy.”
Chris Gibson, Executive Director for the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, said the region is working to show it has no tolerance for this behavior.
“The investigation conducted by the Westside Interagency Narcotics team into Madolyn’s tragic death highlights the importance of conducting thorough inquiries into overdose deaths to ensure that those who engage in the business of selling fentanyl face justice,” Gibson said. “Holding dealers accountable is not just about enforcing the law; it’s about protecting our communities and preventing further tragedies. By shining a light on these crimes, we honor the lives lost and send a clear message that the destruction caused by illicit drugs will not be tolerated.”
McCollum sold many counterfeit Oxycodone pills on August 2, 2021. Those pills contained fentanyl. The dealer sold those drugs to Madolyn, a 20-year-old woman from Beaverton, Oregon.
That same day, Madolyn overdosed and died from acute fentanyl poisoning after taking one of the counterfeit pills.
Shortly after, law enforcement posed as the same woman and asked McCollum to sell her more Oxycodone pills. However, when McCollum arrived to sell more, law enforcement arrested him. Law enforcement then searched his car and found more counterfeit pills and a firearm.
A Portland federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against McCollum on September 21, 2021. It charged McCollum with “possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime,” a release said.
McCollum pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and possessing a firearm related to a drug trafficking crime on May 21, 2024.
The Westside Interagency Narcotics Team investigated the case; Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott M. Kerin prosecuted it.
