May 6, 2023 – LOS ANGELES – An Orange County man was sentenced yesterday to 240 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the overdose deaths of two victims – one in Utah, the other in Aliso Viejo – within six weeks of each other in early 2021.

Jason Amin Soheili, 28, of Laguna Hills, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton.

Soheili pleaded guilty in December 2022 to two counts of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. He has been in federal custody since May 2021.

In January and February of 2021, Soheili exchanged text messages with a Utah-based victim – identified in court documents as “J.N.” – regarding the shipment of fentanyl pills. J.N. instructed Soheili to address the package containing the pills to an alias at an address in Fillmore, Utah.

On February 15, 2021, Soheili shipped via U.S. mail a parcel containing at least two counterfeit oxycodone pills that were laced with fentanyl. The parcel arrived in Utah three days later. On February 21, 2021, J.N. ingested at least one of the pills and died of fentanyl toxicity.

On April 1, 2021, Soheili exchanged text messages with another victim – identified in court papers as “J.M.” – regarding Soheili selling cocaine and alprazolam (commonly referred to by its brand name, Xanax) to the victim. That evening, Soheili and J.M. met at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Laguna Hills to perform the drug deal.

After this meeting, J.M. accompanied Soheili to his home in Laguna Hills, where Soheili supplied the victim with additional drugs. At some point late that evening, the victim ingested the narcotics that Soheili had given him.

Victim J.M. died on April 2, 2021, from acute fentanyl, alprazolam, and cocaine intoxication.

The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Kristin N. Spencer of the Santa Ana Branch Office prosecuted this case.