KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A Grand Rapids man has been sentenced for distributing the heroin and fentanyl that caused the deaths of two men in 2019. 24-year-old Mustafa Deville Reynolds has been sentenced to 27 years and four months in prison.
The incident occurred on August 20, 2019. According to the Department of Justice, Reynolds sold the fatal drugs to one of the victims himself. He also sold the drugs to the other victim through a middleman. The next morning, the victims were found unresponsive by their roommates only hours apart from each other. They later died at the hospital from fentanyl and heroin toxicity. The victims were 25 and 27-years-old. During Reynold’s trial, it was revealed that the victims thought they were buying heroin. However, the drugs they received were mostly fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is 100 times more potent than morphine.
On August 27, 2019, Reynolds sold the mixture of heroin and fentanyl to an undercover GRPD detective. According to the detective, Reynolds warned him “Be careful with that. Don’t do too much.” During his trial, a forensic chemist testified that one of the baggies of alleged heroin sold to the detective was predominantly fentanyl.
In January 2022, Reynolds was found guilty of distributing the heroin and fentanyl that resulted in the deaths of the two victims, and of distributing the drugs to the undercover detective. During his sentencing on May 10, the U.S. Attorney’s Office argued that Reynold’s comments to the detective showed that he knew the drugs he was selling were deadly.
“Today’s sentence ensures accountability for the distribution of deadly drugs.” Said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Like the rest of the United States, Michigan remains in the midst of an opioid crisis. Individuals who order heroin are increasingly receiving fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is cheaper, easier to produce, and often lethal. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to investigating and prosecuting these cases to ensure that drug dealers who cause death are brought to justice.”
“The illegal distribution of heroin and fentanyl continue to have devastating effects on our community,” said Grand Rapids Police Department Lieutenant Jonathan Wu. “The sentencing of Mustafa Reynolds highlights the successful partnership between the Grand Rapids Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We are thankful for the dedication and hard work of all the officers, detectives, agents, and attorneys that worked together to bring this case to a successful conclusion. We are committed to investigating and prosecuting those in our communities that profit off the addiction of others.”
