Crime & Safety
LA Man Sentenced to Prison for Supplying Drugs to Rapper Mac Miller
A man will serve 17-plus years behind bars for his role in supplying fentanyl-laced pills that led to rapper Mac Miller's Studio City death.
![adult, advocate, authority, background, business, career, closeup, concept, copy, counsel, court, courtroom, criminal, decision, desk](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/shutterstock/23539314/20220516/034205/styles/patch_image/public/shutterstock-1342761677___16154147442.jpg)
STUDIO CITY, CA -- A Westwood man was sentenced today to more than 17 years behind bars for his role in supplying the fentanyl-laced pills that led to rapper Mac Miller's fatal overdose in Studio City four years ago.
Stephen Walter was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Walter, 49, pleaded guilty last year to a federal count of distribution of fentanyl.
Find out what's happening in Studio Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
In September 2018, Miller died of a drug overdose -- namely, a fatal mixture of fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol. Just a few days before the 26-year-old rapper's death, Walter supplied the fentanyl that ultimately killed him.
Two others were also charged. Ryan Reavis, 39, pleaded guilty to the distribution charge and was sentenced in April to almost 11 years behind bars.
Find out what's happening in Studio Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The case against Cameron Pettit, 30, of West Hollywood, is pending.
The pills traveled from Walter to Reavis, who supplied the counterfeit oxycodone pills to the third defendant, according to papers filed in Los Angeles federal court.
Reavis admitted knowing that the pills contained fentanyl or some other controlled substance. Shortly after Reavis handed over the pills, Pettit allegedly supplied them to Malcolm McCormick -- who recorded and performed under the name Mac Miller -- two days before the rapper suffered a fatal overdose in Studio City on Sept. 7, 2018, federal prosecutors said.
Miller began rapping at 14 and built a large following before signing with the label of fellow Pittsburgh rapper Wiz Khalifa. Miller released five studio albums and a series of mix tapes during his career. His final album, ``Swimming,'' was released on Warner Records just a month before his death.
-- City News Service