Guilty pleas in mass fentanyl poisoning that killed 6 in Kalamazoo County

KALAMAZOO, MI – Federal prosecutors said two men from Michigan pleaded guilty to criminal charges connected to a mass poisoning in Kalamazoo County that led to at least six deaths.

U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten on Oct. 7 announced the guilty pleas of James “Yola” Smith and Patrick Martin of Kalamazoo County for federal drug charges related to the string of deaths in April from fentanyl poisoning.

Totten called it a “snapshot of the crisis we confront across America,” in which first-time users are unaware they are even consuming fentanyl.

“While we’ll never prosecute our way out of this crisis, today marks an important first step toward justice,” Totten said.

Smith faces up to 20 years in federal prison and Martin may spend up to 4 years behind bars. Both men are scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 6, 2025.

Court records showed Smith admitted to authorities that he distributed what he thought was cocaine but was actually fentanyl, and then Martin passed that fentanyl on to several of his own customers.

Officials said even after the series of overdose deaths, Smith continued to sell cocaine.

Eighteen reports of overdoses happened between April 12 and April 13 in Kalamazoo County and seven people died, county health officials said at the time. Ten others were hospitalized from overdoses.

Orville Green, special agent in charge of the Detroit Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, said the agency is determined to work with state and local partners to hold people like Smith and Martin accountable.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that at least 107,543 people died from drug poisoning across the United States in 2023. About 75% of last year’s drug poisoning deaths nationwide were because of fentanyl.

In Michigan, at least 2,931 people died from drug poisoning last year.

Investigators continue to probe the mass poisoning in Kalamazoo County and encourage anyone with information related to the event to contact authorities at 269-337-8880, or via the Kalamazoo Silent Observer tip line at 269-343-2100, the “P3Tips” app or online at www.kalamazoosilentobserver.com.

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