Coast man sold heroin laced with fentanyl to 2 people, cops say. They overdosed and died.
A South Mississippi man indicted on a federal drug charge was taken into custody shortly after local, state and federal authorities began investigating the overdose deaths of two Coast residents.
An investigation began shortly after authorities confirmed the two died in unrelated overdose deaths dating back to as early as February after ingesting fentanyl-laced heroin.
During a subsequent investigation in March, DEA Task Force agents identified Christopher Ryan Rainey, of Gulfport, as the man who had allegedly sold the drugs at different times to the two overdose victims.
On March 21, DEA agents worked with Biloxi police patrol and narcotics officers to take Rainey into custody after a traffic stop, the charging documents say.
Authorities seized over seven grams of fentanyl-laced heroin inside the vehicle.
At the police department, DEA Task Force Agent Ray W. Bell and Biloxi police Officer Caleb Gregoire interviewed Rainey, during which Rainey admitted “distributing heroin/fentanyl” to the two overdose victims.
In addition, records say Rainey told the officer he had planned to sell the remaining drugs he had on him if authorities had not seized them.
Authorities took Rainey into custody then on a federal bill of information charging him with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Fentanyl is a dangerous synthetic opioid that is up to 100 times stronger than morphine, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. In its illegal form, DEA officials say, it is often mixed with other drugs, including cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.
The drug agents said even a few granules the size of salt from a shaker could kill you.
After his March arrest, U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert P. Myers ordered Rainey held without bond following his detention hearing.
In April, a federal grand jury in Gulfport found enough evidence to indict Rainey on the same charge of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
If convicted, Rainey faces up to 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, three years of post-release supervision and a $100 special assessment fee.
It’s unclear whether Rainey will face any other state or federal charges related to the overdose deaths. The Sun Herald reached out to Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer to confirm the overdose deaths occurred in different cities in the county this year.
In May, the Centers for Disease Control released a report saying overdose deaths around the country have reached an all-time high, and many of those overdose deaths are related to fentanyl-laced drugs sold on the streets.
Authorities investigating drug deaths say fentanyl is the most common drug overdose victims have used in Mississippi.
In addition, the CDC reports that two-thirds of overdose deaths nationally are caused by synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
The CDC report says that over 100,000 residents in the United States died of a drug overdose from June 2020 to June 2021.
Meanwhile, Rainy remains jailed pending further action in his criminal case.
A public defender has been appointed to represent him.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert P. Myers Jr. has ordered Rainey held without bond.
This story was originally published April 13, 2022 at 10:07 AM.
