21-Year-Old's Fatal Fentanyl Overdose In Woodbridge Prompts Dealer Sentence

WOODBRIDGE, VA — A fentanyl dealer in Woodbridge who prosecutors say was linked to a customer's fatal overdose was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Court documents say Eric Anthony Stokes II, 27, distributed pills containing fentanyl in Woodbridge on May 16, 2019 that led to a fatal overdose. Stokes and a 21-year-old customer had negotiated a sale of two pills for $70 over text and met at Stokes' residence.

The next day, the victim's father found him unresponsive in the family's Woodbridge home "with blood and foam coming out of his mouth." The victim's mother and EMS attempted CPR, but the victim was pronounced dead. The medical examiner later determined the cause of death to be mixed drug intoxication, including fentanyl, despropionyl fentanyl and tramadol.

Police found a white envelope containing a blue powder on the victim. Lab testing confirmed the substance contained fentanyl. The victim was found with twice the amount of a fatal dose in his body. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fentanyl can be fatal even in small amounts.

Prince William County Police arrested Stokes in November 2019 and found five pills that tested positive for fentanyl. After being released from the Prince William County Adult Detention Center, prosecutors say Stokes continued to distribute pills and received money with another co-conspirator. One other customer died from an overdose around Aug. 31, 2021 after receiving pills from a person acquainted to Stokes.

Help is available for those suffering from substance abuse. See a list of resources available in Prince William County and Virginia. If you believe someone is overdosing, call 911 immediately.