Warner Robins woman sentenced for fentanyl distribution that led to overdose

WARNER ROBINS — A woman was sentenced for her involvement in a fentanyl distribution case that led to an overdose, the District Attorney’s office announced Monday.

Marie Vasquez, 44, pleaded guilty to the distribution of fentanyl in December 2025. She was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Feb. 3.

Her boyfriend and codefendant, Clyde Richardson, also pleaded guilty to the same charges. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Dec. 12, 2025.

The case the charges stem from was an overdose. On June 28, 2023, a 36-year-old woman was found unresponsive in her bedroom by her mother. The sheriff’s office and EMS responded, and she was pronounced dead on the scene.

An autopsy confirmed the cause of death was an overdose of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and other narcotics. The amount of fentanyl in her system was fatal.

Sheriff’s office investigators obtained the victim’s cell phone records, which showed several messages to Vasquez and Richardson, conducting drug purchases. The night of her death, the messages showed a transaction and a CashApp receipt.

While waiting on medical documentation from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, investigators learned that Richardson and Vazquez were selling drugs in the county, and Warner Robins Police Narcotics intelligence unit investigators made multiple controlled buys of fentanyl from Richardson and Vazquez.

Investigators also obtained a search warrant for their home on Somerset Drive in Warner Robins. There, they found Vazquez, Richardson, two other individuals and fentanyl packaged for sale.

On Dec. 12, 2023, following the autopsy and analysis of digital evidence from phones and social media, Richardson and Vazquez were indicted. The DA’s Office said that a state supreme court case, and the timing of this incident before the passage of a law deeming fentanyl overdose deaths as involuntary manslaughter, prevented homicide prosecution.

The DA’s office thanked the HCSO, WRPD, and Perry Police Department for their work.

HCSO investigators Shane Broome and Christopher Ross, along with WRPD investigator Marcus Baker, led the investigation. Vazquez was sentenced by Judge G.E. “Bo” Adams.

Richardson and Vazquez were prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Mike Smith.

Both he and District Attorney Eric Edwards provided comments.

Smith said, “The District Attorney’s Office, along with our brave men and women that work in our partner law enforcement agencies here in Houston County, will remain dedicated to prosecuting those individuals that sell illegal narcotics in our community. The fact that Ms. Vasquez and Mr. Richardson continued to sell illegal narcotics, even after learning of the death of our victim, is especially egregious. We are tired of having the most vulnerable members of our community preyed upon by the dealers that peddle their poisons all to make an easy dollar.

“No family should have to go through what the family of our victim had to experience. Her life mattered. Everyone who resides and travels through Houston County deserves to experience a life without illegal narcotics, especially fentanyl, being readily available. We appreciate the Court’s sentence as to Ms. Vasquez. This Office and our partner Agencies will remain vigilant in prosecuting drug dealers and preventing future deaths.”

Edwards said, “This case began with a Houston County citizen found dead from a fentanyl overdose and ended with two dealers held fully accountable for the role they played. The fact that these defendants continued selling fentanyl even after learning of her death underscores the danger they posed to our community. We will always continue to aggressively prosecute fentanyl dealers because lives literally depend on it.”