WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas — On National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, some fentanyl prevention advocates celebrated a partial win in court.
A Williamson County judge paused an attempt to lower the more than $1.2 million bond of Kreli Haynes, who is charged with murder for allegedly selling fentanyl that killed 16-year-old Zarek McMeekin last December.
A new Texas law now allows prosecutors to charge fentanyl dealers and manufacturers with murder.
“If he were to get a reduced bail and he goes out, what’s to say that he’s not going to go out there, you know, and distribute some more stuff that can potentially kill somebody else?” McMeekin's mother, Martha Ledezma, asked.
McMeekin’s family and other “angel families" – those who have lost loved ones to fentanyl – were at the courthouse Wednesday morning.
“This, hopefully, will send a message out, you know, that we’re here. We’re fighting, and we’re trying to get them off the streets, to not have this same occurrence over and over again,” Ledezema said.
Haynes has been in jail since his arrest in March. He had a bond reduction hearing scheduled for Wednesday, but after talking with attorneys, Judge Donna King rescheduled it for Oct. 23.
Samuel Bassett, Haynes' attorney, said there isn't a specific amount they want to reduce the bond to and that they are letting the judge decide that. Bassett said in a statement that since there is much information to gather about the new Texas law, House Bill 6, Haynes will likely not go on trial until 2025.
Texas legislators passed HB 6 in 2023, allowing prosecutors to charge dealers or manufacturers of fentanyl with murder.
Below is an excerpt from Bassett's statement:
“This is a difficult case for all involved. The new law passed regarding fentanyl is a severe measure designed to deal with a complex problem. Given that this is a new law and a serious case, it will take time to fully investigate, prepare and conduct a trial.”
After the hearing, the angel families walked around the Williamson County Courthouse, carrying signs with pictures of their kids who have died from fentanyl poisoning, sending a message on National Fentanyl Awareness Day that the those in power need to take these cases seriously.
“We need to get the word out to the attorneys, to the judges, not to tolerate these death dealers out on the street,” said Carilu Bell, another angel family member.
These families are hopeful their efforts help get more dealers off the street and save more lives.
Stefanie Turner lost her 19-year-old son, Tucker, from fentanyl poisoning in 2021. Since then, she’s been advocating for change. She was instrumental in getting House Bill 3908 signed into law. HB 3908, also referred to as “Tucker’s Law," mandates fentanyl education courses in public schools and a poisoning awareness week.