A Silver Spring man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison after selling pills containing fentanyl that led to the tragic overdose of a 16-year-old student in Bethesda, Maryland.
This sentence was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and marks a conclusion in a case involving the fatal overdose of Landen Hausman, a student at Walt Whitman High School.
On January 17, 2022, Landen’s father discovered the teenager unconscious in the bathroom of their home after he had crushed and snorted what he believed to be a Percocet pill the previous night.
The heartbreaking incident shocked the community surrounding Whitman High School. In the aftermath, Marc Hausman, Landen’s father, became an outspoken advocate for mental health and substance abuse awareness, particularly regarding the dangers associated with fentanyl.
Mikiyas Kefyalew, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Deborah L. Boardman on a recent Monday in Greenbelt, Maryland. Following his prison term, Kefyalew will also face three years of supervised release.
Hausman expressed his disappointment with the sentence, which he felt was notably lenient for someone responsible for his son’s death.
In a post on social media, Hausman stated, “This is the most lenient sentence available to the judge,” further emphasizing his frustration over the court’s consideration of Kefyalew’s good behavior while on bail and his supportive family.
Prosecutors had recommended a harsher sentence of 13 years, indicating the severity of the crime and its impact on the victim’s family.
Kefyalew pleaded guilty to the distribution of fentanyl in September 2024. According to court filings, he knowingly sold substances containing fentanyl and despropionyl fentanyl to Hausman.
Court documents revealed that Kefyalew had been selling fake Percocet pills to the teen as far back as December 2021. The night before Landen died, he purchased two pills from Kefyalew.
After the tragic event, an investigation was launched, during which detectives examined Kefyalew’s phone. The search revealed several messages indicating he was aware that the pills he sold were laced with fentanyl and posed a significant risk of overdose.
Prosecutors argue that Kefyalew knowingly misrepresented the pills as oxycodone hydrochloride, which further emphasizes the reckless nature of his actions.
Following Hausman’s overdose, the family recovered a second pill, which forensic tests confirmed contained both fentanyl and despropionyl fentanyl.
Authorities traced Kefyalew through prior citations, leading to his arrest in April 2022. He was charged in September 2022 for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of a minor.
Judge Boardman, in addition to the prison sentence, ordered Kefyalew to pay $11,000 in restitution to Landen Hausman’s family and mandated the forfeiture of funds obtained from his drug sales.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Kelly O. Hayes, remarked that this tragic case exemplifies the severe repercussions of fentanyl proliferation in communities, particularly its impact on youth.
“No sentence can undo the devastating loss suffered by this young victim’s family who will live with the consequences of this defendant’s ruthless actions for the rest of their lives,” Hayes stated.
She reiterated the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement to pursue justice for victims of the fentanyl epidemic and hold accountable those individuals responsible for distributing this dangerous drug.
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