A federal jury found Ludwin Borgen, 49, of Apollo Beach, guilty of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, according to an April 3 announcement by United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. Borgen faces a minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 16.
The case centers on the March 2022 death of a victim who had purchased fentanyl from Borgen on several occasions. Evidence presented at trial showed that the victim contacted Borgen late on March 28 to arrange a drug purchase for the following day. On March 29, she met him at a pharmacy and bought fentanyl before returning to a residence where she was staying with a friend.
That evening, the victim injected herself with the fentanyl while taking a bath. Intoxicated by the drug, she slid under water and drowned. Her friend discovered her body in the bathtub after noticing she had been gone for an extended period; her head was submerged and there was a syringe floating nearby.
Toxicology reports revealed that the victim had approximately ten times the therapeutic concentration of fentanyl in her system—a level consistent with overdose deaths. Detectives from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office investigated and identified Borgen as having sold her the fatal dose. A detective used the victim’s phone to set up another meeting with Borgen, who arrived intending to sell more fentanyl before being arrested by law enforcement officers who then searched his vehicle and found additional drugs and paraphernalia.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office, and Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorneys Muriel Moore and Michael Sinacore are prosecuting this case.
