Man sentenced to life for delivering fatal fentanyl dose

A 48-year-old man has become the first person in Tarrant County to be tried and convicted of murder under a new Texas law targeting deadly fentanyl distribution.

A jury found Jacob Lindsay guilty and sentenced him to life in prison for delivering drugs that led to the fatal overdose of 26-year-old Brandon Harrison.

Harrison died on Sept. 18, 2023, in Fort Worth after ingesting fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Investigators determined that Lindsay sold Harrison the lethal drugs, leading to his indictment and trial for murder under the new statute.

“This conviction and sentence send a clear and powerful message,” said Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells. “If you manufacture or distribute fentanyl that causes the death of another person, we will charge you with murder. We are committed to getting this poison off our streets.”

Sorrells launched a dedicated Narcotics Prosecution Unit in 2023 to handle fentanyl-related and other high-impact drug cases. Assistant District Attorneys Michael Ferry and Sarah Bruner, both members of the unit, prosecuted the case on behalf of the state.

“This sends a message to all the Jacob Lindsays out there,” said Richard Harrison, Brandon’s father. “If you (sell fentanyl and someone dies), you are going to forfeit your right to live among us for the rest of your life.”

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid approved for medical use but often illegally manufactured and sold due to its potency and low cost. As little as two milligrams — the size of a few grains of salt — can be fatal.

Under legislation effective Sept. 1, 2023, Texas law now allows murder charges for individuals who supply or deliver fentanyl resulting in death.

Lindsay is the first person in Tarrant County to go to trial under the new law. The first to be sentenced under it was Kaeden Farish, a 19-year-old Azle man who pled guilty on Oct. 22, 2024, to murder after selling fentanyl-laced pills that killed a 17-year-old. He received a 19-year prison sentence.

The District Attorney’s Office extends special thanks to DA Investigator Sean Wheetley, Victim Coordinator Imelda Lopez, and the Fort Worth Police Department and its Narcotics Section.