Gaithersburg man pleads guilty to selling fentanyl to teen before her death

27-year-old faces up to 20 years in prison

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May 5, 2026 3:22 p.m.

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More than three years after the fentanyl-related overdose death of a 15-year-old Silver Spring girl, the man who sold her the drug pleaded guilty Monday in federal court to a drug trafficking offense in connection with her death.

Kelvin Reyes, 27, of Gaithersburg, pleaded guilty Monday at the United States District Court for the District of Maryland in Greenbelt to one count of distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Maryland. The girl’s identity was not provided in the release or in court filings.

According to a press release from the office, Reyes faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison during a Sept. 17 sentencing hearing in the district court. If the court accepts Reyes’ plea, he is expected to be sentenced to 12 to 17 years in prison, according to the release.

Rosana Chavez, a federal public defender representing Reyes, did not immediately respond to Bethesda Today’s request for comment Tuesday morning.

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The case began the morning of Jan. 14, 2023, after the mother of the 15-year-old girl found her daughter lying in a fetal position in her room with fluid coming from her mouth and nose, according to court filings. The mother later reported to officers that she saw a burnt piece of aluminum foil with residue on it, which later tested positive for the presence of fentanyl, next to the girl.

An autopsy by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore determined intoxication from fentanyl and despropionyl fentanyl caused the girl’s death.

Investigators later learned the teen contacted Reyes via Instagram late on the night of Jan. 13 about purchasing drugs. According to court filings, the girl told Reyes to meet her at a school near her home and that she could only pay him in coins.

At about 1:15 a.m. on Jan. 14, 2024, the girl left her home in Silver Spring to meet with Reyes and returned shortly after, according to the filings. The girl’s mother later told authorities that the last time she saw her daughter alive was at 1:45 a.m. and discovered her dead at 7 a.m.

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Around 2:15 a.m. that same night, Reyes posted a story on his Instagram account advertising that he was driving around that night and selling round blue pills, according to court filings. Investigators suspected the pills to be counterfeit oxycodone pills, filings state.

On Jan. 24, 2023, authorities executed a search warrant at Reyes’ Gaithersburg residence, filings state. At his residence, law enforcement found a digital scale, clear plastic bags, a plastic bag containing $5.13 in U.S. coins and orange zip-top bags, foil and straws with residue.

In announcing Reyes’ guilty plea, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Kelly Hayes described Reyes’ actions as “callous,” adding that he had a “disregard for human life.”

“Now, he will have to pay the hefty price that he deserves,” Hayes said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to holding those accountable who endanger our children and neighborhoods by dealing poison in our communities.”

According to the release, Hayes also commended the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Montgomery County police department’s investigative work.

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Christopher Goumenis, special agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, said in the release that people “like Kelvin Reyes who disregard the sanctity of our schools and prey on our children must be held accountable.”

“We are utilizing every resource to ensure justice is served and to prevent further tragedies,” Goumenis said.

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine