A Santa Clarita man has been arraigned on an indictment alleging he distributed protonitazene – a novel synthetic opioid that is up to three times more powerful than fentanyl (which itself is 50 times stronger than heroin) – resulting in a victim’s fatal overdose this spring. The coroner’s office has identified the young man as Bryce Jacquet (DOB November 10, 2001).

Out of over 160,000 death records made public by the county’s medical examiner since 1999, this appears to be the very first to explicitly mention protonitazene as a cause of death.

Benjamin Anthony Collins, 21, is charged with one count of distribution of protonitazene resulting in death. This is believed to be the nation’s first death-resulting criminal case involving this narcotic.

Protonitazene is a benzimidazole derivative with potent opioid effects which has been sold over the internet as a designer drug since 2019, and has been identified in various European countries, as well as Canada, the US and Australia. It has been linked to numerous cases of drug overdose, and is a Schedule I drug in the US.

It was developed by a Swiss pharmaceutical company in the 1950s as an alternative to morphine, but was never adopted due to severe side effects.

Collins was arrested on November 18, and pleaded not guilty to the charge at his arraignment. A trial date of January 14, 2025, was scheduled. A federal magistrate judge ordered Collins jailed without bond.

According to the indictment, during the early morning hours of April 19, 2024, Collins knowingly and intentionally distributed protonitazene, which resulted in the death of 22 year old Bryce Jacquet. In recent years, protonitazene has been sold over the internet.

Collins allegedly sold the 22-year-old victim pills containing protonitazene and arranged to sell the victim a bulk supply of these pills in the future. The victim, a resident of Stevenson Ranch, consumed the pills soon afterward in the front seat of his car and quickly died. His mother later found him dead in the front seat parked outside her home and called 911.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

If convicted, Collins would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department are investigating this matter.

Assistant United States Attorney Lisa J. Lindhorst of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.