Lincoln man sentenced for selling fentanyl that contributed to deadly overdose

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A Lincoln man will spend almost a decade behind bars for selling fentanyl.

Joe Schultz, 40, was sentenced in federal court Friday to 9½ years in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

In April 2020, Shultz delivered two fentanyl pills to someone who later overdosed, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The victim died, and an autopsy determined that their cause of death was buprenorphine and fentanyl toxicity.

Buprenorphine, like fentanyl, is a synthetic opioid.

Investigators said that the buprenorphine was not prescribed by a doctor and that they don’t know who provided it.

But authorities said the fentanyl from Shultz contributed to the overdose.

He was known to sell fentanyl to other people in the Lincoln area, according to the U.S. Atorney’s Office.

After prison, Schultz will serve three years on supervised release.