THE FENTANYL FALLOUT: Manslaughter Charges Filed Against Greybull Man Accused of Selling Fentanyl-laced Counterfeit Pills that Killed a Cody Man

By Jennifer Kocher

Special to the Wyoming Truth

A Greybull man accused of selling counterfeit Oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl that led to the death of 25-year-old Jordan Jackson, of Cody, was sentenced to three to five years in Wyoming state prison on Dec. 19 as new manslaughter charges emerged in neighboring Park County.

Anthony Michael Fuentes, 36, pleaded “no contest” in Big Horn County District Court on Tuesday to four felony charges of delivering a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, as well as a misdemeanor for possession of a controlled substance.

Until now, Fuentes had not been charged with any crimes related to Jackson’s death. The new manslaughter charge, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison, was filed on Dec. 19 by Park County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Jack R. Hatfield II. Cody is in Park County, where Jackson lived at the time of his death.

On Tuesday, Fuentes was sentenced in Big Horn County Court on the four felonies and misdemeanor. He pleaded “no contest,” meaning he accepts punishment but doesn’t admit guilt and waives his right to a trial. He initially pleaded guilty to the charges before changing his plea to “no contest” at a hearing on Aug. 15.

As part of his plea deal, Fuentes received a three-to-five year sentence for the first two felony counts followed by an eight- to-10-year consecutive sentence for counts three and four to be suspended in favor of three years of supervised probation.

Fuentes also was sentenced to 351 days for the misdemeanor with credit served for that time, according to information provided by Marcia Bean, Big Horn County Prosecuting Attorney.

The felonies – in addition to the new manslaughter charge – date back to Jan. 2, 2023, when Fuentes was accused of selling two illicit Oxycodone pills that tested positive for fentanyl to Jackson, who is referred to as “J.J.” in the charging documents. Jackson died from an overdose on Jan. 3. 

Following Jackson’s death, a special agent from the Wyoming Criminal Division of Investigation (DCI) used Jackson’s phone to trace the purchase back to Fuentes. Using the Signal app on Jackson’s phone, the agent also purchased two suspected fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone and arrested Fuentes following the transaction.

Fuentes initially admitted to the DCI agent that he’d obtained 40 counterfeit pills in Denver, two of which he sold to “J.J.” for $80, according to court documents.

Fuentes also admitted to selling the suspected fentanyl-laced oxycodone to “J.J.” on multiple occasions, the new affidavit filed in the Park County case states.

In his affidavit of probable cause entered in Park County, Hatfield states: “I believe Fuentes willfully and knowingly distributed fentanyl…to J.J. in Big Horn County, directly resulting in J.J’s death in Park County.”

Jackson’s mother, Brenda Armstrong, declined to comment on the sentencing and new manslaughter charge.

A no-bond arrest warrant was issued for Fuentes out of Park County on Dec. 19 on the manslaughter charge. As of Dec. 22, Fuentes was still detained in the Big Horn County Detention Center in Basin.