Man sentenced to 12 years after Auburn teen dies from fentanyl

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WTVM) – An Auburn man has been sentenced to federal prison for the 2021 death of a teenager due to fentanyl poisoning.

Jay Quan Adams, 23, will serve 12 years in prison, according to officials. He was sentenced on October 10.

“Yesterday’s sentence brings a measure of justice to the victim’s family,” said Steven Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Orleans Field Division. “Fentanyl is a silent killer that has claimed countless lives, and this case reminds us of the dangers of the synthetic opioid. We must continue to educate ourselves and our communities about the risks associated with fentanyl in hopes of preventing future tragedies.”

According to the plea agreement and court records, law enforcement responded to the report of an unconscious teen found in his Auburn home on March 26, 2021, and determined he died as a result of taking a pill he did not know was contained fentanyl.

The investigation revealed that the teen had gone to Adams’ house the night before and paid him $80. Officials executed a search warrant at Adams’ home on March 29, 2021.

Adams admitted during a plea hearing in May 2024 that he possessed pills containing fentanyl, found during authorities’ search of Adam, with the intent to distribute them.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Auburn Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson prosecuted the case.

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