Drug dealing Oregon couple sentenced to prison following deadly fentanyl overdose

EUGENE Ore. (KPTV) – A couple in Douglas County have been sentenced to federal prison after being linked to a deadly fentanyl overdose in 2018.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of Oregon, Brian Joseph Ramos, 49, and Christine Marie Ramos, 41, residents of Yoncalla, Oregon, sold fentanyl-laced pills to the male victim in May 2018, the same day as his release from a residential drug treatment program. The man died after taking the pills the same day, according to authorities.

Less than 24 hours after the man’s death, investigators began questioning the Ramoses who confirmed the man was at their home the day of his death but denied giving him drugs. Christine Ramos admitted to investigators the couple had been selling the man drugs over the past two years but continued denying involvement in selling the fentanyl-laced pills.

During a search of the Ramoses’ home, investigators reported finding several dozen grams of methamphetamine, over 250 pills and drug paraphernalia. Pills recovered from the Ramoses’ cars later tested positive for fentanyl and text messages on Brian Ramos’s phone showed the couple had in fact sold the man the pills, according to the D.A.’s office.

The Ramoses were charged Aug. 2018 with conspiring with one another to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, oxycodone and hydromorphone. In March 2021, both waived indictment and pleaded guilty to the charges.

On Tuesday, Brian Ramos was sentenced to 70 months in prison and Christine Ramos was sentenced to 51 months in prison. Both must serve five-year terms of supervised release following their release from prison.