A Maricopa County man, James Amalfi, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to selling a fatal dose of fentanyl to a father of two.
According to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, in December of 2024, the Mesa Police Department responded to a call about an unresponsive individual. The victim’s wife was in the hospital after giving birth to their second child and asked her mom to check in on her husband when she was unable to contact him. When officers arrived at the home, they found the victim lying on his back on top of his bed. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
On the nightstand next to his bed, officers found a small bag containing a white substance, later determined to be fentanyl, and a piece of tin foil with burnt residue. During their investigation, police were able to determine that the victim had purchased the fentanyl powder from the defendant, James Amalfi. In text messages, the defendant instructed the victim to send money to codefendant Athena Doornbos (DOB: 10/1998) and agreed to drop off the drugs at his home. Two days after the victim’s death, the defendant reached out again offering to sell him more fentanyl.
“This defendant knew the fentanyl he was supplying could cause a fatal overdose and sold it anyway,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “Two children have lost their father, a wife has lost her husband, and a family is left with a devastating loss. Thanks to the work of prosecutor David Hanselman, this defendant received one of the highest penalties we’ve seen in cases of this type and will now spend two decades in prison.”
At sentencing the victim’s father stated, “It is difficult for me as his father to understand how a son who survived two open-heart surgeries, earned a master’s degree, became a senior aerospace engineer, and built a family could have his entire future taken by fentanyl.”
The case involving co-defendant Athena Doornbos is set for trial in October of this year. She remains in custody on a $250,000 secured appearance bond.
Be the first to comment