A man accused of providing counterfeit drugs to the late Mac Miller has pleaded not guilty.
Cameron James Pettit appeared in federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday (10.10.19) to answer charges of conspiring to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death – which both carry minimum sentences of 20 years in prison – but denied the allegations against him.
The defendant, who has been in custody since his arrest on 4 September, stood next to his court-appointed attorney and spoke only to respond to Judge Frederick F. Mumm’s questions. He will now face trial on November 26.
A second defendant, Stephen ‘Stevie’ Walter was also supposed to appear at the hearing but could not be be there as the San Diego prison where he is currently serving an unrelated sentence is under quarantine due to a mumps scare. He will now be arraigned on 31 October.
A third man, Ryan Reavis, has also been charged with fraud and drug and gun possession in connection with Mac’s death in September 2018.
Prosecutors believe Mac ordered 10 ‘blues’ – slang for oxycodone – but received counterfeit drugs which contained fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opiod. The rapper – who also ordered Xanax and cocaine – crushed the pills and snorted them, leading to his death.
The ‘Dang!’ hitmaker is believed to have requested the drugs from Pettit, who allegedly ordered them from Walter, while Reavis was the man who was enlisted to take them between the two men.
Mac’s death was found to be accidental and it was later determined he had overdosed on alcohol, cocaine and fentanyl, with investigators believing he passed away after snorting the fake pills.