GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Grand Rapids man who peddled stronger drugs to ensure his addict customers kept coming back is heading to prison for providing a lethal dose of fentanyl that killed a 28-year-old client from Cedar Springs.
Even after Anthony Michael Assfy learned about the fatal overdose, he continued selling stronger drugs “to ensure his revenue stream,’’ investigators said.
A federal judge this week sentenced Assfy to 20 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl causing death. A jury in January convicted him on that charge and other drug offenses.
“Anyone who deals in a deadly drug like fentanyl should understand they face serious federal time in prison,’’ U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge said in a news release.
Assfy, 29, “knew that he was selling potentially lethal drugs and did not care,’’ Assistant U.S. Attorney Vito S. Solitro wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
He continued selling drugs after being released on bond on state charges, investigators said.
Assfy “wanted stronger drugs to ensure that his addict customers kept purchasing drugs from him and not some other dealer,’’ Solitro wrote. “He exhibited no regard for the possible lethal consequences of these stronger drugs; he simply wanted to ensure his revenue stream.’’
The 28-year-old victim lived with his parents in Cedar Springs. He was found dead in the basement the evening of Aug. 29, 2018. At the time, he was on a methadone-maintenance program with Cherry Health.
Kent County detectives used text messages from the victim’s phone to identify Assfy, who admitted to selling drugs to the victim.
A search of Assfy’s home on Madison Avenue south of Delaware Street SE turned up heroin, crack cocaine, a digital scale and packaging materials. Police say he sold and stored drugs at the house.
A forensic pathologist told investigators that the victim’s fentanyl blood level “is one of the highest that he recalls seeing in the approximately 100 overdose deaths that he has examined,’’ court records show.
Kent County recorded 114 drug overdose deaths in 2018; about 1/3 were from fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that is 80 – 100 times more potent than morphine and is cheap to produce,’’ Birge said in a news release.
“All too often, we find fentanyl mixed together with heroin or fentanyl being passed off as heroin in our West Michigan communities,’’ Birge wrote. “Due to fentanyl’s potency, ingestion is often deadly.’’
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