An Antelope Valley man who used a drone to deliver fentanyl and other narcotics to buyers, one of whom died of a fatal overdose of the powerful synthetic opioid, pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges.
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Christopher Laney, 36, of Lancaster entered a plea to distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, which together carry a total sentence of between five and 60 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Sentencing was scheduled for Feb. 9 in Los Angeles federal court.
Laney used the unregistered drone in January 2023 to transport $80 worth of fentanyl from his house to a nearby church parking lot for pickup by another person, he admitted in his plea agreement.
That person then provided the drug to the victim, identified in the indictment as J.K., who was found dead the next day after she suffered a fatal drug overdose, prosecutors said.
Footage taken by the drone reveals that Laney used the same flying device to transport and distribute narcotics on at least three other occasions, court papers show.
In February 2023, Laney possessed both methamphetamine and fentanyl at his home, as well as multiple firearms -- including an AR-15-style rifle lacking a serial number, commonly referred to as a ghost gun, and two 9mm semiautomatic ghost-gun pistols, inside of his room, his plea agreement states.
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