Baltimore City Wire

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has filed a criminal complaint against Sarah Katherine Magid, a 34-year-old resident of Burtonsville, Maryland. Magid is accused of distributing fentanyl, which allegedly led to serious bodily injury and the death of an individual. The complaint was unsealed on November 13, 2024, as Magid appeared in the U.S. District Court in Greenbelt before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gina L. Simms.

Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the charge alongside Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget from the Drug Enforcement Administration's Washington Division and Chief Marc R. Yamada of the Montgomery County Police Department.

Following the victim's death in March 2024, law enforcement uncovered text messages between Magid and the victim discussing fentanyl distribution. A forensic analysis revealed conversations about a drug transaction involving pills disguised as oxycodone hydrochloride but containing fentanyl. After this meeting and transaction, the victim was found deceased due to fentanyl toxicity according to the Washington, D.C., Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

In July 2024, it was reported that Magid, who works as a first-grade teacher in Montgomery County, allegedly left her classroom during work hours to sell drugs outside school premises. Text messages from Magid's phone indicated drug dealings during these hours.

If convicted, Magid faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years imprisonment up to life for distributing fentanyl resulting in death or serious bodily injury. Federal crime sentences are usually less than maximum penalties; a federal district court judge will decide after considering guidelines and statutory factors.

A criminal complaint does not imply guilt; individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court proceedings.

The investigation involved several law enforcement agencies part of the Maryland Fatal Fentanyl Overdose Task Force (MFOTFF). This task force aims to raise awareness about fentanyl dangers and enhance prosecution efforts for overdose-death cases by coordinating local, state, and federal authorities.

U.S. Attorney Barron praised DEA and Montgomery County Police Department's investigative efforts while thanking Metropolitan Police Department and Montgomery County State's Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Elizabeth Wright are prosecuting this case.

Further information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office can be found at www.justice.gov/usao-md or through their community outreach page online.