A 16-year-old boy died after consuming fentanyl-laced pills, and Marlene McGuire, a 59-year-old woman from Colorado Springs, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for her involvement in the incident. McGuire is the final adult, alongside the boy’s mother, to be incarcerated in connection with this tragic event.
Maria Cecilia Davis-Conchie, the mother of the boy, was sentenced to 10 years in prison last year. She admitted to giving drugs to her son and his friends before his tragic death. According to court documents, Davis-Conchie introduced her son to McGuire and Douglas Floyd, who were her drug suppliers.
Floyd was also handed a 10-year prison sentence last year.
On the previous day, Burkey and three of his friends decided to meet Floyd at a Colorado Springs fire station. Upon arrival, Burkey stepped out of the car and bought four blue pills from Floyd for $40, as stated in court documents. Later that night, the group smoked one of the pills, and Burkey took the remaining three pills home with him.
After Burkey’s death, investigators discovered evidence of drug use on and around his body. Paraphernalia commonly used for smoking pills was found, along with indications that he had indeed used them. In addition, a baggie containing two blue pills imprinted with “M30” was found in his dresser. Subsequent testing conducted by a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory confirmed that these pills were a combination of illicit substances. Specifically, they contained para-fluorofentanyl, a synthetic opioid. Furthermore, one of the pills also contained fentanyl (another synthetic opioid), lidocaine (an anesthetic), and xylazine (a tranquilizer).
According to testimonies from Burkey’s friends, it was later revealed that Burkey had the belief that he was buying Percocet from Floyd.
According to court documents, investigators from the Colorado Springs Police Department obtained cell phone evidence of drug transactions between the boys and the three adults following Burkey’s death.
McGuire’s text messages revealed that he had engaged in six transactions with Burkey and his friends during the two weeks prior to Burkey’s unfortunate demise.
According to the coroner’s report, Burkey passed away due to fentanyl toxicity.
After determining that the drugs responsible for Burkey’s death were obtained from McGuire and Floyd, investigators conducted a raid on the couple’s residence in Colorado Springs. During the search, a significant amount of methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl were discovered concealed throughout the house.
McGuire’s extensive involvement in drug dealing activity was revealed through additional cell phone evidence, which traced back to 2020. It was discovered that she had been released from state prison in the previous year following a drug conviction and was currently on parole.
Federal prosecutors argued for a harsh sentence for McGuire, stating that she made drug dealing her main profession. They described her as knowledgeable and dedicated. Despite the well-known fact that adults should not sell drugs to children, McGuire chose to do so repeatedly. Furthermore, she sold one of the most lethal drugs ever sold in the United States, only stopping after one of her customers died.
In a press release, Cole Finegan, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, expressed his outrage over the untimely death of an individual due to fentanyl. He emphasized his frustration that an adult played a significant role in the tragic loss of a young life. McGuire has been sentenced to 30 years for his involvement in the incident.
Davis-Conchie is currently being held at the Aliveville FCI facility in northern Alabama.
According to online court records, McGuire currently has an ongoing case in El Paso County. The charges against her include organized crime, racketeering, and money laundering, totaling 179 counts. The 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office has not yet confirmed whether they will continue to pursue this case against McGuire, considering her recent federal sentencing.
On February 18, 2022, a memorial service took place for Burkey at a church in Colorado Springs.
“There is no greater sorrow than the heart-wrenching task we face today – laying a child to rest,” expressed a solemn pastor during the poignant ceremony. “This day is marked by an unfathomable tragedy. It is truly heartbreaking to bid farewell to someone so young, merely sixteen years old.”
Three days after the release of a report by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention on the rise of fentanyl-related deaths across the country, Burkey sadly passed away.
