A drug dealer convicted of Mac Miller’s deadly fentanyl overdose has been convicted.
Stephen Walter, 49, was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison on Monday after pleading guilty to distributing the fentanyl that ultimately led to Miller’s death in September 2018, reports have reported Rolling Stone.
Walter had originally agreed to a 17-year sentence after reaching a settlement with federal prosecutors in October, but the judge rejected his settlement as too lenient after he continued to sell counterfeit oxycodone pills after Miller’s death.
“The court has decided not to accept this objection agreement. So, sir, at this point, if you wish, you can withdraw your guilty plea and go to court,” said US District Judge Otis D. Wright, Jr. “I might as well interpret it, okay. If you continue to engage in this activity, even after your activities have killed someone, I have a hard time not following the guidelines.
After prosecutors read a statement from Miller’s mother, the former groomer apologized to the rapper’s family, but claimed he had no knowledge until his arrest that Miller had died from the drugs he supplied.
“My actions have caused a lot of pain and I am truly sorry for that. I’m not the type of person who wants to hurt anyone. That’s not me,” Walter told the judge.
His colleague Ryan Reavis pleaded guilty in November to a single count of distributing fentanyl and was sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison.
A third dealer, Cameron Pettit, was also charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances causing death and distributing fentanyl causing death. He reportedly reached an agreement, but it was sealed.
McCormick was 26 when he was discovered unresponsive at his Los Angeles home on September 7, 2018. The coroner ruled that his death was an accidental overdose due to mixed drug toxicity from cocaine, alcohol, and fentanyl.