In a landmark decision, the Sacramento County Superior Court sentenced Ruslan Kochkin of Folsom to 10 years in state prison on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty in a fentanyl-related homicide case.
According to the Folsom Police Department (FPD), this marks the first time in Sacramento County that a drug dealer has been convicted and sentenced for providing a fatal dose of fentanyl. The overdose claimed the life of a 30-year-old man on Sutter Street in January 2024.
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“A milestone in our fight against the deadly grip of this drug,” said the FPD.
On January 19, 2024, Folsom police and fire crews responded to the overdose. Despite administering Narcan, first responders were unable to revive the victim.
“From that moment on, our Special Investigations Unit worked tirelessly to identify and arrest the person responsible,” the department said.
After an extensive investigation, authorities arrested Kochkin, who was found in possession of both an ounce of fentanyl and an ounce of methamphetamine.
“Our SIU Detectives are committed to keeping Folsom safe from narcotics and the inherent dangers associated with drug sales,” the FPD added. “We are proud to bring closure to this family and show drug dealers that we will not tolerate the sale of poison in our community.”
Anyone with questions about the case is encouraged to contact Lt. Dave Canepa at [email protected] or call 916-461-6465.
