DENVER — A California man has been arrested on charges connected with distributing fentanyl that led to the death of a Denver student, Denver officials announced on Friday.
During a press conference Friday, the mother of Collin Walker remembered her son as kind. He loved dogs and excelled in sports and arts, Ginger Walker said.
"I want people to know that if fentanyl trafficking was able to touch my child, it's able to touch yours," she said. "It's unbelievable. And I guarantee you, if you don't know anybody right now that fentanyl has touched, you will in the next years to come."
Her son, Collin, was 28 years old when he was found unresponsive by his roommate on Nov. 19. Denver police said they believe his death was fentanyl-related.
Based on the subsequent investigation, police and the Denver District Attorney's Office said they believe that a suspect named Jamal Gamal sold fentanyl to Walker, resulting in his death, sometime between Nov. 9 and Nov. 19, 2023. When the medical examiner arrived at the scene, he found two unlabeled medicine bottles — one with 13 suspected blue fentanyl pills, the other bottle with 14 suspected white Xanax pills, according to an arrest affidavit. Investigators also found text messages between Walker and Gamal.
As part of a sting operation, Denver detectives contacted Gamal and purchased narcotics from him. They said that they believe between Feb. 1 and Feb. 6 of this year, Gamal mailed more than 14 grams of fentanyl from California, where he lives, to the detectives in the operation, the police department said.
On Aug. 28, Gamal was arrested in San Francisco. He is expected to make his first appearance in Denver on Monday.
Ginger Walker said Collin, her son, had been targeted by the dealer online.
"They're hiding behind a computer. They're not necessarily standing on the corners of streets like you think about. They're behind a computer," she said during the press conference. "They're selling it through the mail. It's going through FedEx, UPS, and the United States Postal Service, and this is how Jamal Gamal preyed upon my son that resulted in his death.
Denver District Attorney Beth McCann said six people have faced the charge of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death since it was enacted in Colorado in 2022.
“Collin Walker’s death is yet another tragic example of the devastation that fentanyl continues to cause in our community," she said. "The charges against Mr. Gamal should send the message that people who are accused of selling this poison in Denver will be prosecuted by my office to the fullest extent of the law.”
In 2023, Denver police reported more than 400 fentanyl-related deaths.
Anyone who may be struggling with drug addiction or other substance misuse, are encouraged to reach out to Colorado Crisis Services by calling 1-844-439-TALK (8255) or by texting 'Talk' to 38255.
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