A Santa Clarita man is expected to plead guilty Friday to a federal charge in what is considered the nation’s first criminal case involving a death caused by the synthetic opioid protonitazene.

Benjamin Anthony Collins, 21, has agreed to enter a plea in downtown Los Angeles to a single count of distribution of protonitazene resulting in death, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Federal prosecutors say the narcotic is up to three times more powerful than fentanyl.

According to the indictment, during the early morning hours of April 19, 2024, Collins knowingly and intentionally distributed the opioid, which resulted in the death of the victim. In recent years, protonitazene has been sold over the internet and is believed to be far more powerful than fentanyl, which itself is 50 time

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