St. Pete man sentenced to life in prison for selling fentanyl, causing fatal overdose: DOJ

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A St. Petersburg man was sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl which resulted in death, the Department of Justice announced on Tuesday.

Bobby Peterson, 41, was found guilty by a federal jury on April 30. He was also sentenced for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, and 30 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl.

On May 12, 2020, Peterson, who supplied fentanyl and other controlled substances in Pinellas County, gave fentanyl to an individual, who gave the drug to a friend, M.G. The friend died of fentanyl toxicity a few hours later, the DOJ said.

That same day, Peterson spoke with another person, L.O. about the sale of fentanyl. L.O. also died of fentanyl toxicity hours later.

According to the DOJ, when Peterson was told about M.G.’s death, he “expressed no remorse” and instead said, “They know what they’re doing.” The 41-year-old continued to sell fentanyl following the deaths.

However, on Feb. 5, 2021, Peterson sold fentanyl to an undercover detective and was arrested.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pinellas Park Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.