Southland man, 22, found guilty in teen's death

Fentanyl-laced pills killed 15-year-old Rolling Hills Estates boy 3 years ago; Offense carries minimum 20-year sentence

A jury convicted a Rolling Hills man on Friday of distributing pills laced with fentanyl that led to the death of a 15-year-old boy three years ago.

Alexander Declan Bell Wilson, 22, was found guilty of one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The offense carries a minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

On May 14, 2020, Wilson agreed to sell five pills laced with fentanyl to the victim, Nathan Young-Nichols, 15, of Rolling Hills Estates. The victim believed the pills were authentic pharmaceutical pills that contained oxycodone, according to evidence from Young-Nichols's cellphone presented during the trial.

On the night of the sale, the victim's 13-year-old brother met Wilson outside the family's house to pick up the five pills before returning inside to hand off the bag to his brother, the U.S. Attorney's office said in the news release. Young-Nichols then posted a photograph of the pills on his Snapchat account and then ingested the pills.

The victim then spent the next several hours arguing with Wilson on Snapchat about the proper way to consume the pills he had been sold, with Wilson lecturing the victim for chewing the pills. Wilson then shared screenshots of the conversation to his Snapchat followers.

The victim's grandmother found him dead in his bedroom the next morning, with the cause of death determined to be solely due to fentanyl poisoning, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. .

Wilson has remained in federal custody since May 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 20.