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'She slapped everybody in the face' | Judge gives dealer no prison time after teen dies from fentanyl

On September 23, Judge Karen Sage sentenced 28-year-old Alexander Sonnier to 10 years probation in a fentanyl-related case in Texas.
The sentencing followed a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation and Sonnier's plea deal after the 2022 death of 17-year-old Spencer Wheeler before a new law took effect in 2023.
Spencer Wheeler, described by his father Hunter as adventurous and kind, died after trading a video game system for pills laced with fentanyl, which Sonnier supplied.
Hunter Wheeler expressed that the situation was deeply personal, affecting many including his son, and insisted that those who distribute fentanyl and cause deaths should face prison time. Meanwhile, Judge Sage described fentanyl as a serious epidemic but questioned whether imposing harsh sentences on individual cases would effectively reduce fatalities.
The case highlights tensions around fentanyl sentencing before laws allowing murder charges for dealers took effect, as Sonnier received probation despite calls for stronger justice from Spencer's family.

Insights by Ground AI