He Dealt Fentanyl to Bullard High Student. At 19, He's Headed to Federal Prison.

By Bill McEwen, News Director

Published 3 years ago on

January 28, 2022

At just 19 years old, Fabian Garcia-Palacio of Fresno is headed to federal lockup for three years.

He received the sentence Friday at the federal courthouse in downtown Fresno, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert said in a news release.

According to court documents, in March 2020, Garcia-Palacio distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl to a juvenile student at Bullard High School.

After ingesting a single pill, the student overdosed but survived after receiving life-saving medical treatment.

Fentanyl Pills Found at Residence

Investigators later searched Garcia-Palacio’s residence and found more fentanyl pills.

He was charged with distributing fentanyl to a person under 21 years old. Garcia-Palacio pleaded guilty on May 14, 2021.

The Fentanyl Overdose Resolution Team, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Fresno Police Department, investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin J. Gilio prosecuted the case.

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Bill McEwen,

News Director

Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email