Cychlorphine Overdose Arrests
Four Arrested in San Francisco Following Overdose Death Linked to Synthetic Opioid Cychlorphine
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Key Points
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The counterfeit pill linked to Dante Lacourte’s death also contained ethyl bromazolam, a benzodiazepine that is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Police reportedly identified the suspected sources through surveillance and undercover purchases before executing the search warrants.
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The four people arrested were identified as Nicholas Wallace, Sharonee Hyson, Leander Pitts and Starr Lamare; they face felony allegations involving narcotics distribution, firearms possession and illegal weapons offenses.
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Cychlorphine has been associated with more than 40 overdose deaths in Tennessee, according to the reports, underscoring that the San Francisco case is part of a broader national spread.
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San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie pledged, “We are going to go after the people that sell it,” while District Attorney Brooke Jenkins urged California lawmakers to add cychlorphine to the state’s list of illegal drugs so possession for sale could be prosecuted without the current legal obstacle.
San Francisco authorities arrested four people after an April overdose death linked to cychlorphine, an illicit synthetic opioid roughly 10 times more potent than fentanyl. Medical Daily reported that 16-year-old Dante Lacourte's death marked the city's first known fatality involving the drug. Police seized more than 20,000 counterfeit pills during searches of three residences, along with MDMA, heroin, cocaine, firearms and cash.
The counterfeit pill that killed Lacourte also contained ethyl bromazolam, an unapproved benzodiazepine. WKRN noted that cychlorphine may evade standard fentanyl test strips, making it harder to detect. Even a fraction of a pill can be fatal, and overdoses may require rapid or repeated naloxone treatment.
A Drug That Fentanyl Tests Miss
Cychlorphine poses a unique danger because standard fentanyl test strips often fail to detect it. KSN reported that parents and authorities are alarmed by this detection gap. Users buying pills they think are common medications like Xanax or oxycodone may unknowingly consume the far more dangerous cychlorphine.
The drug is not yet listed under California's controlled-substance law, though federal authorities temporarily classified it as Schedule I. Medical Daily reported that District Attorney Brooke Jenkins urged state lawmakers to add cychlorphine to California's illegal drug list. This legal gap has complicated prosecution efforts.
Four Arrested in Months-Long Investigation
Nicholas Wallace, Sharonee Hyson, Leander Pitts and Starr Lamare face felony charges for narcotics distribution, firearms possession and illegal weapons offenses. Medical Daily reported that police identified the suspected sources through surveillance and undercover purchases before executing search warrants. The four arrests came after a months-long investigation.
Prosecutors may pursue homicide or manslaughter charges if investigators establish that the suspects directly supplied the pill that killed Lacourte. WAVY reported that police seized over 20,000 counterfeit pills designed to look like legitimate medications. Authorities also recovered narcotics, weapons and cash from the three residences.
A Spreading Threat Across the Nation
Cychlorphine has been linked to more than 40 overdose deaths in Tennessee alone, according to reports. WKRN noted that the San Francisco case is part of a broader national spread of the drug. Authorities warn that cychlorphine is appearing in illicit markets across multiple states.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie pledged: "We are going to go after the people that sell it." Medical Daily reported that the city is treating cychlorphine as a priority threat. The case underscores how new synthetic opioids continue to emerge and claim young lives.
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