Charity Wiley Sentenced 15 Years to Life After Selling Fentanyl That Caused 2024 Overdose
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Charity Faith Wiley was sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison for the second-degree murder of Devin Kastler who died from an overdose after ingesting a mixture of fentanyl and xylazine supplied by Wiley in June of 2024.
The conviction and sentencing for a fentanyl-related murder is the first in the county.
"This is the first fentanyl murder conviction in Ventura County, marking an important step in holding
drug dealers accountable when their actions result in the loss of life," shared Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko.
Wiley previously pled guilty in July of this year to a charge of murder in the second degree as well as five additional felonies related to drug possession, drug sales activities, gun possession, and money laundering.
On June 6, 2024, first responders were dispatched to a residence in unincorporated Simi Valley for an apparent overdose stated the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, drugs and paraphernalia were found in the room of the man, later identified as Devin Kastler, who had had an overdose and a toxicology test later showed a lethal amount of fentanyl and xylazine in his system.
An investigation by a regional fentanyl task force of local law enforcement identified Wiley as the origin of the lethal narcotics and she was arrested in connection with Kastler's death on March 5, 2025, at her Los Angeles County home shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Investigators searched Wiley's home and a separate apartment used for narcotics sales and discovered more than three pounds of fentanyl, 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine, 2.6 pounds of counterfeit Xanax pills suspected to contain fentanyl, as well as pre-packaged amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine detailed the local prosecutor's office.
Three firearms, two of which were loaded, were also found during the searches as was $96,000 in cash, multiple cell phones, additional evidence of narcotics sales, a drug sales business plan, hundreds of pay-owe sheets, a money counter, and fraudulent identification added prosecutors.
According to local prosecutors, digital evidence was collected from Wiley's cell phone that provided details on her narcotics sales operation.
The digital evidence included text messages in which an associate in the scheme told Wiley he would not sell "tranq-dope" because it was killing people and refused to specifically sell "tranq-dope" to Kastler because he only "dabbles" shared the Ventura County District Attorney's Office.
Wiley responded that they should not be selling to those who "dabble" and five days after that text exchange, on June 5, 2024, Wiley sold the lethal "tranq-dope" to Kastler noted prosecutors.
Kastler's body was discovered the following day.
"After more than 30 years as a prosecutor, I have rarely encountered someone as organized and
sophisticated as Wiley, coupled with such a disregard for human life," stated Senior Deputy District Attorney Audry Nafziger who prosecuted the case. "She was warned that the drugs were killing people and agreed not to sell to Devin. She did it anyway."
During Wiley's sentencing hearing Tuesday, Kastler's mother, father, aunt and a close friend provided victim impact statements to the court.
"When my child Devin died, my life did not simply change. The life I knew ended as well. There is a
version of me who existed before and now a version of the person I have had to become," explained Kristi Kastler, Devin's mother. "Charity knew her drugs were dirty. She didn't just sell Devin drugs, she sold him something that would ultimately take away his future."
