Colorado Jury Convicts Jorge Che-Quiab, Man Who Provided Fentanyl To 16-Year-Old Girl Who Died
(CBS4) - A 26-year-old man who gave fentanyl to a 16-year-old girl from Lakewood who overdosed and died has been found guilty of manslaughter. An Arapahoe County jury convicted Jorge Che-Quiab on Tuesday.
Investigators said Che-Quiab and another man were hosting a gathering of a group of underage girls at Che-Quiab's Aurora apartment on a night in August 2020. The men gave them alcohol, pot and fentanyl.
According to a news release from the Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office, the two men went to sleep that night at the home despite the fact that they saw one of the girls who appeared to be overdosing. She ended up dying before first responders were finally called to the scene the next morning.
Another partygoer called 911 in the morning, and the DA says Che-Quiab began flushing drugs down the toilet when he found out authorities were on their way.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Gallo said Che-Quiab "used alcohol and extremely dangerous drugs to manipulate these girls for his own selfish purposes."
"When it became clear one of them needed immediate medical care, he callously chose to do nothing," Gallo said in a prepared statement.
In addition to manslaughter, Che-Quiab was convicted on charges of distribution of a controlled substance to a minor and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Around 300 fentanyl pills and a large amount of heroin were found in Che-Quiab's apartment.
He also was convicted on a sexual assault on a child charge because he assaulted a 14-year-old girl and also gave her a large amount of alcohol.
A sentencing hearing for Che-Quiab has been scheduled for July 21. He could face a minimum sentence of 8 years in prison and a maximum of 116 years behind bars.