Former MCPS teacher sentenced to more than 12 years in in connection with fentanyl-related death

Teacher sold drugs on school campus

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July 15, 2026 2:58 p.m.

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A former Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) first-grade teacher was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison in connection with a March 2024 fentanyl-related death of a man in Washington, D.C., according to a Wednesday statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. 

U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Sarah Katherine Magid, who taught at Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School in Silver Spring, to 151 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Xinis also ordered Magid to pay restitution of more than $25,000 for costs associated with the victim’s burial. The victim was not identified in the Tuesday statement or any court documents.  

According to court documents, Magid agreed to a plea deal in 2025 in which she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Magid was previously charged with violations of Maryland’s controlled dangerous substance statutes before she was charged in federal court with distributing fentanyl that resulted in serious bodily injury and the death of a victim.  

Magid’s lawyer, Nicholas Madiou, didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment from Bethesda Today on the case on Wednesday. 

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Magid was arrested in August 2024 after Montgomery County police and special agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a search and seizure warrant of her Burtonsville home, according to Montgomery County police. 

Magid had been employed by MCPS since 2022, according to court charging documents. In 2024, MCPS spokesperson Liliana Lopez said Magid was on leave from the school and on Wednesday Lopez said Magid has not been employed with the school system as of April 2025.   

Magid allegedly sold drugs on school property, according to a 15-page redacted affidavit from a special agent with the DEA. Claims that Magid sold the victim drugs in the months leading to his death, left her classroom to sell drugs and bragged about selling counterfeit pills were previously detailed in court charging documents. 

The charging documents and the affidavit did not name the man who died but said an autopsy revealed he died from a fentanyl overdose. The man was pronounced dead on March 25, 2024, in a residence for people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, according to the affidavit.   

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The last communication from the victim’s cell phone was the morning of March 24, and based on the level of decomposition, the affidavit states there’s reason to believe the victim may have died prior to March 25.   

On March 24, the man and Magid had a text message exchange about the potential of drugs she sold to him being “fakes,” or counterfeit, charging documents stated. Later that day Magid allegedly texted the victim to notify him that she would be receiving more Xanax pills and asked if he wanted more.  

According to charging documents, Magid continued to send the man texts and became seemingly frustrated with the man’s lack of response. On March 26 Magid texted the victim, “Guess u died.” Hours later she texted him again, referring to selling someone a counterfeit pill. Later that day, Magid texted the victim again: “Bro are u straight… Missing for like 4 days … U worrying me.” 

According to the affidavit, during a review of the victim’s phone, investigators also found a text conversation between the victim and another individual. Investigators believe the pair were coordinating a drug deal for fentanyl pills at an elementary school at noon on Sunday, March 23.     

The affidavit also detailed an anonymous complaint to law enforcement from July 2024 that said Magid came out of her classroom to sell drugs to people outside her work. Law enforcement identified text messages from Magid’s phone indicating she dealt drugs during school hours, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.    

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On March 27, according to the affidavit, an investigation of Magid’s phone found a conversation between her and another individual in which she says the victim didn’t pick up drugs from her and that drug dealers couldn’t be blamed for the death of someone they sell to.  

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine