Sailors admit to selling fentanyl-laced pills to seaman on USS Abraham Lincoln

Two former Navy sailors admitted to selling fentanyl-laced pills in 2022 and 2023 to seamen assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln. One of the service members died after taking the pills and another overdosed.

Bailey Szramowski, 29, and Johnnese Poomaihealani, 25, pleaded guilty in San Diego federal court on Sept. 14 to one count each of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, according to court records reviewed by USA TODAY.

The ex-sailors, who are married and both from Hawaii, sold counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to the two other U.S. Navy service members stationed in San Diego and assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California said in a news release.

Szramowski provided one service member assigned to the ship with 10 counterfeit oxycodone pills in December 2022, according to court records. The individual overdosed and died of acute fentanyl intoxication in January 2023, officials said.

Despite knowing of the death, Szramowski sold three more pills to another sailor 10 days later, court records continue.

After the sailor who purchased the pills was taken to the hospital for a suspected overdose from which he recovered, Szramowski and Poomaihealani called him and encouraged him…

Original source: https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/