CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Jonathan Bash, a 25-year-old resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for his role in distributing a dangerous fentanyl analogue that led to the death of 19-year-old Charlotte Gallant. The sentencing took place in the Eastern District of Tennessee at Chattanooga, presided over by United States District Court Judge Curtis L. Collier.
Following his prison term, Bash will undergo five years of supervised release. His sentencing comes after he entered a guilty plea for distributing para-fluorofentanyl, which resulted in Gallant’s fatal overdose. Court documents revealed that Bash sold the substance, misrepresented as ketamine, to a young man who then shared it with Gallant. Both individuals overdosed, but only Gallant succumbed to the effects.
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United States Attorney Francis M. Hamilton, III emphasized the dangers of street narcotics and the lethal potential of fentanyl, vowing continued prosecution of similar cases to serve justice for the victims and their families. The case underscores the collaborative efforts of various law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Chattanooga Police Department, in combating the spread of deadly drugs like fentanyl.
HSI Nashville’s Special Agent in Charge, Rana Saoud, highlighted the sentence as a testament to the risks posed by fentanyl and the commitment of law enforcement to disrupt drug trafficking. Similarly, FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico lauded the investigation’s success as a product of significant collaboration among local, state, and federal partners.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Brooks and Frank Clark, marking a significant victory in the ongoing battle against the opioid crisis and the illegal drug trade.
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