A San Diego man has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl in a federal case in which two North Park residents were found dead on the floor in which the defendant also overdosed but was revived.

San Diego Police officers responded to a 911 call to a North Park residence at 6 a.m. on Nov. 10, 2022 and they found four people lying on the floor of a bedroom.

Police and investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration were able to revive Scott Anthony Sargent, 63, and another person with Narcan, and they were transported to a hospital, where they recovered.

Sargent appeared Jan. 14 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Allison Goddard and pleaded guilty to “knowingly and intentionally” distributing fentanyl. Charges that he caused the deaths of the two men, who were only identified in court records as Z.W. and M.L., will be dismissed at the sentencing.

Sentencing was set for April 4 before U.S. District Court Judge Robert Huie. Sargent remains detained without bail in the Metropolitan Correctional Center.

Sargent faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a $1 million fine, according to court records. He may be subject to restitution of $15,926 to the family of M.L., and $3,597 to the family of Z.W., records say.

A search of Sargent’s backpack and duffel bag at the scene showed the mixture of fentanyl and para-fluorfentanyl. Investigators also searched Sargent’s storage unit and discovered additional baggies containing the same type of mixture, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

“Fentanyl kills indiscriminately,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath in a news release at the time of his arrest in April, 2024. “Investigators will leave no stone unturned in the effort to identify and charge distributors of this poison.”

Also to be dismissed is a conspiracy charge that alleges Sargent distributed the drug with others. Sargent is the only person charged.

It was Goddard who signed a detention order remanding Sargent without bail on the grounds that he was a danger to the public and was a flight risk, according to court records.

Sargent was in possession of a firearm at the scene of the deaths and had five prior felony convictions since 2006, the magistrate noted.

Photo credit: Pixabay.com