ACCOUNTABILITY

Utah Man Found Guilty of Running Multi-Million Dollar Opioid Ring

Aaron Shamo will receive an automatic life sentence for masterminding a narcotics ring that peddled fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl across the country.

Aaron Shamo, 29, a former Eagle Scout, was convicted by a Utah court of running a multi-million dollar opioid ring that authorities say helped fuel the nation’s opioid epidemic. The Associated Press reports that Shamo was accused of being the mastermind behind a company that peddled fake pharmaceuticals laced with fentanyl to thousands of people. Shamo’s Salt Lake City-based company was one of the nation’s largest sellers of fake pills using fentanyl imported from China. Shamo was convicted on 12 counts, including distribution and money laundering, but the jury did not agree whether he was ultimately responsible for the death of a 21-year-old California man who overdosed on drugs sold by his company. In Utah, the conviction for running a criminal enterprise carries a mandatory life sentence.