San Francisco has recorded its first death attributed to cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid estimated to be 10 times more potent than fentanyl. The drug was detected in the system of 16-year-old Dante Lacourte, who was found deceased in his Nob Hill apartment on April 7.
Dante's mother, Christina Lacourte, discovered her son unresponsive with signs of blue discoloration and black fluid emanating from his nose and mouth. Despite administering two doses of Narcan, he could not be revived. Initially suspecting fentanyl, she was surprised when the autopsy report revealed the presence of cychlorphine, a substance undetectable by standard fentanyl test strips.
Investigators believe Dante ingested counterfeit pills containing cychlorphine, along with another synthetic opioid, N-Desethyl Isotonitazene, and ethyl bromazolam, a non-FDA-approved benzodiazepine. His death triggered an investigation that has led to the arrest of four individuals and the seizure of over 20,000 counterfeit pills.
Law Enforcement Action
San Francisco Police Department utilized Dante's phone records to identify individuals he had contacted regarding pill purchases. Undercover operations were conducted to purchase drugs from suspected dealers, leading to the subsequent arrest warrants.
On September 8, Nicholas Wallace, 46, was arrested at his home in the Tenderloin neighborhood, where police found suspected oxycodone pills and cocaine. Sharonee Hyson, 44, was also apprehended at the same residence; she was on active parole and found in possession of cocaine base and a loaded firearm.
The following day, September 9, Leander Pitts, 46, and Starr Lamare, 39, were arrested at a home in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. Authorities seized more than 20,000 pills, suspected to be counterfeit Xanax, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and cyclobenzaprine, along with other narcotics including fentanyl. Additionally, officers confiscated MDMA, black tar heroin, an assault rifle, a pistol, and over $2,200 in cash.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins stated at a press conference announcing the arrests, "It is a sad day, though, why we are here. When we talk about the loss of life of a 16-year-old. A 16-year-old man who I'm sure had a lot ahead."
Public Health and Future Efforts
The San Francisco Police Department is collaborating with the federal Food and Drug Administration to determine if cychlorphine is present in any of the seized counterfeit pills. Mayor Daniel Lurie affirmed the city's commitment to addressing emerging drug threats, stating, "San Francisco was caught flat-footed by the fentanyl crisis. We will not let that happen again. When a new deadly drug appears in San Francisco, we are going to find it, we are going to track it, we are going to warn people about it."