A Weber County man was sentenced to 180 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution after distributing fentanyl-laced pills that resulted in a person's death, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Utah.
Sentence and restitution details
Cullin Anthony Bullen, 39, of Roy, Utah, received the 15-year prison sentence and five years of supervised release following his admission to drug distribution. The court also ordered Bullen to pay $9,98pend83 in restitution to the family of the victim.
Guilty plea and drug distribution
The sentencing follows a guilty plea entered by Bullen on April 10, 2026. During his change of plea and sentencing hearings, court records showed that Bullen admitted to intentionally distributing fentanyl on Dec. 19, 2023, in the District of Utah.
Fatal overdose consequences
The consequences of the distribution became apparent the following day when law enforcement discovered the person Bullen sold the drugs to had died from fentanyl intoxication. According to the Department of Justice, Bullen admitted that the victim would not have died but for the ingestion of the specific fentanyl he provided.
Details of the pill transaction
Bullen's admissions included details regarding the nature of the transaction. He confessed to selling the victim between 25 and 30 small blue pills marked with an "M30" stamp on the night before the fatal overdose occurred. Despite representing the pills as Roxicodone, Bullen told investigators he had suspicions about the quality of the shipment.
Suspicions about pill quality
In his statements to law enforcement, Bullen noted that the M30 pills appeared different from his usual supply, describing them as being "shinier" and "harder" than typical pills. He also remarked that the M30 stamp on the medication looked unusually crisp, yet he proceeded with the sale.
U.S. Attorney's statement on crime
U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah emphasized the gravity of the crime, stating that few federal offenses are more serious than the one Bullen admitted to, excluding intentional homicide or crimes involving children. Holyoak noted that there is no measure of justice that can compensate for the loss of life and expressed hope that the victim's family might find peace knowing the perpetrator is incarcerated.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Tremonton City Police Department. DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge David Olesky issued a warning to traffickers, stating that federal authorities will continue to seek accountability for those causing death through fentanyl trafficking.
