Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
TAMPA, Fla. - A federal jury found Ludwin Borgen, 49, of Apollo Beach, guilty in a fentanyl distribution case that resulted in a woman drowning in her bathtub, federal prosecutors announced.
The backstory:
Evidence from the trial showed that Borgen was a drug dealer in the Bay Area and had previously given fentanyl to the victim on multiple occasions. On March 28, 2022, the victim arranged another purchase with Borgen.
The next day, the victim met Borgen at a pharmacy, where she bought fentanyl. She later returned to a residence where she had been staying with a friend, according to the state attorney's office.
That evening, investigators say the victim injected the drug while in a bathtub. Authorities say she became intoxicated, slipped under the water and drowned.
The victim’s friend later found her unresponsive in the tub, with her head underwater and a syringe floating nearby, according to investigators.
Dig deeper:
Toxicology results revealed the victim had approximately 10 times the therapeutic level of fentanyl in her system, an amount consistent with deadly overdoses, according to investigators.
Detectives with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office identified Borgen as the person who sold the fentanyl. Investigators later used the victim’s phone to arrange another meeting with him.
When Borgen arrived, investigators say he intended to sell more fentanyl. He was taken into custody at that time.
A search of Borgen’s vehicle uncovered fentanyl, syringes, baggies and a scale, according to investigators.
What's next:
Borgen now faces a minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for June 16, according to the state attorney’s office.
Borgen remains in custody as he awaits his sentencing this summer.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the state attorney's office, as well as evidence from the case that was investigated by by the FBI, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.