Sam Strait was sentenced today to the maximum sentence of 25 years to the Colorado Department of Corrections for distributing fentanyl which resulted in the death of a juvenile in July 2022. The 8^th Judicial District Attorney’s Office secured Strait’s guilty plea to Fentanyl Distribution Causing Death, a Class 1 Drug Felony on November 27, 2023.

On July 21st, 2022, officers from the Loveland Police Department responded to a report of an unresponsive 15-year-old juvenile who, following a transport to Children’s Hospital, was pronounced deceased from a fentanyl overdose. An investigation by the Loveland Police Department and the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force identified Strait as the individual responsible for the sale of fentanyl, in the form of blue pills, to the juvenile victim.

The investigation revealed that in addition to being responsible for the distribution of the fentanyl pills that caused the victim’s fatal overdose, Strait was also responsible for the sale and distribution of fentanyl to the victim multiple other times in the months leading up to the victim’s death.  

The prosecution team was led by Deputy District Attorney and Major Case Prosecutor, Lynzi Maas. Maas’ position was created in 2022 through a grant from the Larimer County Board of County Commissioners, in recognition of the need to combat the drug distributors perpetuating the opioid epidemic.

During sentencing, Maas argued that Mr. Strait knowingly helped connect the victim with fentanyl pills. “The weight of this loss for the victim’s family and our community is unsurmountable,” stated Maas. “Mr. Strait was a critical piece of the puzzle that put fentanyl in the hands of a child.”

The 8^th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and Larimer County law enforcement agencies have put significant resources into finding justice for victims of fentanyl-related overdoses and their families. Fentanyl-related deaths continue to plague our community and the Larimer County inter-agency collaboration has allowed for a higher level of dedication in targeting the dealers responsible for killing members of our communities. This collaborative model has served as a framework for positive partnerships for districts around the state.

 “I am thankful for partnerships like the Drug Task Force that allow our agencies to work together to remove these dangerous people from our community, and deadly substances off our streets,” said Fort Collins Police Chief, Jeff Swoboda, whose detective led the Drug Task Force Investigation.

“Losing any member of our community to fentanyl is heartbreaking, but the tragedy is even more difficult when we lose a child,” said District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin.

“While we continue to build our education and treatment resources in Larimer County in hopes of preventing another tragedy like this one, we will also ensure those knowingly dealing this poison and killing people in our community are held accountable. In this case, Strait knew the victim was a child and continued to sell them this highly lethal drug – it is a truly shocking disregard for human life.  I’m thankful to our team at the District Attorney’s Office who are ensuring we fight for vulnerable victims and securing today’s significant sentence. Our office is with the victim’s family today.”

The District Attorney’s Office extends our appreciation to the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force (NCDTF), Loveland Police Department, Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Collins Police Services, and the Larimer County Coroner’s Office for their roles in the investigation.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, help is available:

SummitStone Health Partners: 970-494-4200

Colorado Opioid Synergy Larimer & Weld (CO-SLAW): 1-844-944-7529

SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-487-4889

Connect Effect Colorado: www.connecteffectc.org/parents