Medford High Student’s Death by Overdose: Fentanyl Tears Up Families
MEDFORD, Ore — Fentanyl destroys communities and tears up families, is how Assistant U.S. Attorney Marco Boccato described the death by overdose of a 16-year-old Medford High School student, Max Gonzalez.
Boccato called for a seven year and four-month sentence for Hunter Fenstermaker who was 20 at the time he bought a fake Percocet pill for $30 from his dealer and shared two lines with his stepbrother.
The court heard that Gonzalez had asked his older brother for some ‘percs’ – slang for Percocet – and that after purchasing the pill, Fenstermaker had received a text message from his dealer, saying ‘be careful, you know how much stronger those are.’
Fenstermaker crushed the pill and he and his brother each snorted two lines late on the evening of September 6, 2021. At 8.30 a.m. the following morning, Gonzalez was found dead of fentanyl poisoning, an autopsy found.
Tearful Family Members Give Evidence
Family members addressed the court before U.S. District Judge Michael J. McShane sentenced Fenstermaker, now 23, to five years in jail when he appeared in the Medford federal court on Thursday.
The dead boy’s grandmother, Gail Moroney, described Fenstermaker’s actions as ‘a violation of family values…to love, respect and care for each other.’
Kim Fenstermaker, who married the accused’s father Shawn Fenstermaker, said her only son was excited about having an older brother. In a tearful address to her stepson, the grief-stricken woman said she forgave him but needed accountability for her son’s death. Gonzalez died one week before his 17th birthday.
The Assistant U.S. Attorney called for a seven-year sentence, even though Fenstermaker had no prior criminal record. Boccato said the event was ‘no accident’ as Fenstermaker was aware that the pill was potent and had gone ahead and placed his stepbrother at risk. Boccato said Gonzalez was ‘a kid’ with his whole life head of him.
The Accused Gave Police Information That Led to the Arrest of Others Involved in the Drug Deal
But the defense attorney, Donald L. Scales, urged the court for a sentence of one year and one day, pointing out that his client had assisted police to identify the suppliers of the lethal dosage, and that his information had also led to the arrest of three other people.
The court heard that after the incident, Fenstermaker had undergone treatment for substance abuse and successfully completed the course eight months later. The accused is presently employed at a construction company and is active in a Medford Christian youth ministry.
In his own self-defense, Fenstermaker told the judge that there wasn’t a day that he did not think about what had happened. He said he loved his stepbrother and regretted his actions.
Despite his age of only 20 at the time of the incident, and the fact that he was struggling with drug abuse, the judge found that Fenstermaker was responsible for the death of his stepbrother, and the judge sentenced him to five years in prison. Fenstermaker will begin serving the sentence on November 6.
Others Involved in the Teenager’s Death Receive Prison Sentences
Other people involved in the death-by-fentanyl-overdose and who received jail sentences were co-defendant Napolean Gomez (22) of Medford who sold the fake Percocet to Fenstermaker. He was sentenced to seven years and three months.
Conner Francis (27) of Portland, Gomez’ supplier, was sentenced to six years and one month.
A dealer involved in the case, John Rocha (31) of Medford, was sentenced to six years and six months.