Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Life for Placer County Overdose

ROCKLIN — On April 20, Placer County Superior Court Judge Gazzaniga sentenced 44-year-old Brandon Wayne Garner to fifteen years to life in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for second-degree murder. Garner sold fentanyl to local resident Michael Ucovich hours before Ucovich died from acute fentanyl intoxication on July 2, 2023. The pair arranged the transaction through text messages exchanged that day.

Rocklin Police Department personnel responded to a residence after reports of an unresponsive individual. Examiners determined acute fentanyl intoxication as the cause of death. An investigation by the Placer County Special Investigations Unit, supported by Rocklin police officers, resulted in murder and drug sales charges against Garner. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office Opioid Response Team assisted with further inquiries into the matter.

California law defines second-degree murder to include killings committed with implied malice. Implied malice exists when an individual engages in inherently dangerous conduct while knowing the substantial risk of death and consciously disregarding that danger. Prosecutors argued Garner met this threshold by distributing a substance known to cause fatal overdoses even in tiny quantities. Court evidence supported the claim through records of Garner’s extensive sales activity.

Records showed Garner conducted ongoing narcotics trafficking and collected more than $117,000 in payments over nine months. Garner said that he kept Narcan available at all times, demonstrating awareness of fentanyl’s deadliness. Such awareness highlighted the conscious disregard for human life alleged by prosecutors.

Ucovich’s death inflicted profound grief, emotional strain, and a permanent void upon his family. Victim impact statements conveyed the lasting trauma caused by the loss. Ucovich’s father shared that no day passes without thoughts of his son.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Devan Portillo from the Special Prosecutions Unit represented the prosecution, backed by a dedicated detective from the Sheriff’s Opioid Response Team. Portillo delivered a fentanyl advisement to Garner during the proceedings. “Our office will never stop fighting for victims to the fullest extent the law allows,” said Portillo. “This case represents the devastating consequences of fentanyl in our communities and the importance of holding those who distribute it fully accountable.”

Garner’s conviction represents the fourth fentanyl murder conviction obtained by the Placer County District Attorney’s Office. Michael Ucovich will be honored during Crime Victims’ Rights Week at the District Attorney’s Annual Victims and Survivors Brunch, where officials will display a victim poster.

All information comes from the Placer County District Attorney’s Office press release issued April 20, 2026, along with public court records and related announcements confirming the February 3, 2026, conviction and investigative details.