Grand Rapids, Mich. — Leland A. MacQuarrie Jr., 33, of northern Michigan, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his involvement in two fatal drug overdoses, one of which occurred just a month after a previous overdose death he was connected to. MacQuarrie’s sentence comes after he was convicted for his role in the distribution of fentanyl, a powerful opioid that authorities say led to the deaths of two individuals in 2022.
MacQuarrie’s case gained national attention due to the repeated nature of his actions and the particularly deadly impact of the fentanyl he sold. In December 2023, he pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl that led to the death of a woman in February 2022. The woman had messaged a friend about obtaining “amazing stuff” before she was found unresponsive in her backyard later that day. Prosecutors described MacQuarrie’s behavior as “especially repugnant,” noting that despite a previous overdose death in January 2022, he continued to distribute drugs.
In January 2022, MacQuarrie was sentenced to 12 to 40 years in state prison for his role in a separate overdose death in Kalkaska County, where he was convicted of delivery of a controlled substance causing death. Even after being implicated in that case, MacQuarrie resumed drug trafficking, eventually leading to the second fatal overdose just one month later. According to court records, MacQuarrie’s text messages after the second death showed no remorse, instead indicating that he continued to sell drugs without hesitation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Fauson, who prosecuted the case, emphasized the need for a harsh sentence to deter future drug trafficking. “What is especially repugnant about MacQuarrie’s behavior is that even after his drug trafficking claimed a first victim in an entirely separate incident, it served as no wake-up call to him,” Fauson wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
MacQuarrie’s federal sentence is the maximum allowed for the distribution of fentanyl, with an additional five years of supervised release after his prison term. The sentence will be served after he completes his state prison term.
In defense of his client, MacQuarrie’s attorney argued that his actions were the result of his own struggles with addiction, pointing out that MacQuarrie had been “haunted” by the consequences of his behavior. “No matter how unintentional the death, Mr. MacQuarrie is clearly haunted by his actions and clearly misses his friend,” the attorney wrote in a memorandum.
However, the court’s decision reflected a broader concern for public safety and the escalating opioid crisis. MacQuarrie’s long history of drug offenses, including a 2013 conviction for cooking methamphetamine in Antrim County, further complicated his defense, as the court noted the repeated nature of his criminal behavior.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by fentanyl and the devastating impact of drug trafficking on communities. As MacQuarrie begins his federal sentence, the focus remains on addressing the larger public health issue of opioid addiction and drug distribution, with authorities continuing to push for tougher penalties for those involved in the illegal drug trade.
This case underscores the difficulty of balancing addiction issues with the need for legal accountability in addressing drug-related deaths.
