Palmdale Man Found Guilty of Drug Trafficking Crimes, including Distribution of Fentanyl Causing the Overdose Death of U.S. Marine

LOS ANGELES - An Antelope Valley man has been found guilty by a jury of federal drug trafficking and firearm crimes, including supplying fake fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills that caused the fatal overdose of an active-duty United States Marine Corps lance corporal stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, the Justice Department announced today.

Jordan Nicholas McCormick, 31, was found guilty on Thursday of six felonies: one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances resulting in death, one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute LSD, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to evidence presented at a 17-day trial, McCormick engaged in a drug trafficking conspiracy from at least October 2019 to September 2020 during which he and his co-conspirators obtained and sold several drugs, including LSD, thousands of fake Adderall pills laced with methamphetamine, and thousands of fake oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl. McCormick and his co-conspirators communicated via text messages and Snapchat to coordinate their drug trafficking business.

On May 21, 2020, McCormick informed one of his co-conspirators via text message, "I'm seeing my oxy guy today he has a boat," referring to 1,000 purported oxycodone pills, also known as "M30s." The next day, McCormick sold 1,000 of those pills to a co-conspirator, who then posted a picture on his Snapchat account of several pills with the caption, "Who f*** with M30s? Tapp in." Later that same night, the co-conspirator sold approximately 10 of those pills to a 20-year-old U.S. Marine identified in court papers as "L.M.," who died after consuming some of the fentanyl-laced pills in the early morning hours of May 23, 2020.

On July 26, 2020, McCormick again sold another 1,000 purported oxycodone pills to the same co-conspirator. Three days later, investigators arrested that co-conspirator and seized narcotics, including approximately 900 of those purported oxycodone pills, and several firearms - including a 9mm "ghost gun," or a firearm lacking a serial number - from his residence. Those pills were confirmed to contain fentanyl.

In September 2020, law enforcement executed search warrants on McCormick's person, vehicle, and residence, seizing numerous drug trafficking materials and narcotics, including lab-confirmed methamphetamine and LSD, and a 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol.

At sentencing, McCormick will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), the Southern California Drug Task Force (SCDTF), a Drug Enforcement Administration-led multi-agency task force within the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program, the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick Castañeda of the Transnational Organized Crime Section, Laura A. Alexander of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, Kathrynne Seiden, of the National Security Division, and James E. Dochterman of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case.