Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 17, 2024
SAN DIEGO – James Jason Hendershaw of San Diego was charged in an indictment unsealed this week with distributing the fentanyl and methamphetamine that resulted in the death of a 20-year-old San Diego resident.
The Oceanside Police Department and Oceanside Fire Department responded to a 911 call a few minutes after 6 a.m. on January 10, 2019. When they arrived, they found the victim, identified in court records as R.J., unresponsive and lying on a sidewalk at the corner of Farel Street and Via Sonora in Oceanside. He was pronounced dead a few hours later.
Hendershaw allegedly distributed the fatal mix of fentanyl and methamphetamine the night before.
“Prosecuting drug dealers who supply deadly fentanyl and methamphetamine is not just about accountability; it’s about preventing death by interrupting the supply chain,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “By identifying and charging the distributors, we send a clear message to the dealers of these toxins: You will be held accountable for the lives your product destroys.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Sausedo and Adam Gordon.
DEFENDANT Case Number 23-CR-2645-RBM
James Jason Hendershaw Age: 36 Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Distribution of Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Resulting in Death – Title 18, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)
Maximum penalty: Life in prison
Mandatory minimum: Twenty years in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Oceanside Police Department
State of California Department of Health Care Services
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.