Los Angeles County man sentenced for delivering fatal dose of fentanyl via drone in 2023

A Los Angeles County man who used a drone to deliver drugs to buyers, including a fatal dose of fentanyl in 2023, was sentenced to federal prison on Monday. 

Christopher Laney, 37, of Lancaster, was sentenced to 14 years and six months after he pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in September last year

In a news release shared by the Drug Enforcement Administration, federal officials said that Laney used an unregistered drone in January 2023 to transport $80 worth of fentanyl from his Antelope Valley home to a church parking lot nearby, where it was picked up by another person. He admitted to the claims in his plea agreement, which was filed in the Los Angeles federal court. 

Court papers then said that the person who picked up the drugs from the parking lot provided them to the victim, who was only identified as J.K. She was found dead the next day from a fatal overdose. 

Footage taken from the drone showed that Laney used the device to transport and distribute narcotics on multiple other occasions, prosecutors said when he pleaded guilty in 2025. 

The U.S. Attorney's Office said that Laney possessed both fentanyl and methamphetamine at his home, as well as multiple firearms, which included an AR-15 style rifle without a serial number and two 9mm ghost-gun pistols.