FBI Announces Third Defendant Sentenced in Rugby-Player Derrick Hotchkiss’ Overdose Death
SAN DIEGO – When Andrew Samuel Daniel Gossai (33), from San Diego, the last of three defendants sentenced in the drug-induced death of Derrick Hotchkiss, plead guilty to supplying the fatal fentanyl, he not only admitted to distributing the fentanyl that caused the death, but also to selling in excess of 400 grams.
“Gossai, who has a history of drug sales convictions dating back more than a decade, sold fentanyl despite recognizing the dangers associated with the drug,” said Assistant U. S. Attorney Larry Casper, Department of Justice – U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California. “Upon his arrest, Gossai admitted to law enforcement that, despite his sales of fentanyl, he was “scared” by the drug. Upon executing a search warrant at Gossai’s residence, law enforcement seized fentanyl in powdered and pill form; a digital scale with powdered residue; drug paraphernalia; and other illicit narcotics.”
The FBI announced the results of an extensive Narcotic Task Force (NTF) investigation into the death, which involved five investigating agencies – known as DEA’s NTF Team 10:
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
California Department of Healthcare Services
San Diego Police Department
The investigation into the demise of the long-time rugby player for the San Diego Old Aztecs Rugby Football Club led to the previous sentencing of Christopher Emison and Jeffrey Alden Blair. Government sentencing documents revealed, “Gossai sold the fatal dose of fentanyl to Blair who made the purchase for both Emison and himself. In turn, Emison sold the fatal dose directly to Hotchkiss shortly before his overdose death.”
Emison (33), from El Cajon, received 168 months in custody, and Blair (34) from San Diego was handed 188 months. Gossai was sentenced in federal court this past week to 226 months in prison for supplying the fentanyl that led to the fatal overdose of 45-year old Derrick Hotchkiss, a longtime rugby player for the San Diego Old Aztecs Rugby Football Club.
U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia noted the “severe costs the crime has brought to the community” and that the defendant was “up the chain of distribution and had a long history of selling drugs.” The defendant was “clearly aware of the risks” posed by fentanyl yet continued distributing the drug.
Acting U.S. Attorney Grossman praised prosecutor Larry Casper as well as the agents from Narcotics Task Force Team 10, a multi-agency team housed by DEA – created in July 2018 to address drug overdose deaths in San Diego – for their efforts on these cases.
