A Santa Clarita man was charged with dealing a drug three times more powerful than fentanyl, causing one fatal overdose, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Arraigned on Wednesday, Benjamin Anthony Collins, 21, was charged with one count of ...

The case is believed to be the first criminal prosecution related to a death caused by the synthetic drug protonitazene in the U.S.

Protonitazene, a synthetic opioid three times stronger than fentanyl, was connected to an overdose in Stevenson Ranch. Dealer knew his pills had killed, but kept dealing anyway.

The U.S. Department of Justice's Los Angeles office filed charges in California in what could be the nation's first death-resulting criminal case involving protonitazene, a synthetic opioid that prosecutors say is "up to three times more powerful than fentanyl.