District Attorney J. Collin Sims announces that today, District Judge Martin Coady sentenced 43-year-old Derrick Fairley of Angie, Louisiana, to life imprisonment without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. Judge Coady also handed down a concurrent 15-year sentence for Fairley’s charge of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
The sentencing follows Fairley’s conviction on August 27, 2026, when a Washington Parish jury deliberated for just 30 minutes before returning guilty verdicts on both counts. The conviction and sentence stem from the fatal overdose of 34-year-old Roxanne Fortenberry on December 15, 2024. Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office (WPSO) deputies discovered Fortenberry deceased in her bed, with autopsy and toxicology reports confirming a lethal dose of Fentanyl. WPSO detectives conducted a forensic analysis of the victim’s cell phone, uncovering text messages from December 13, 2024, in which Fortenberry arranged to buy $100 of suspected Heroin from Fairley, a known drug dealer. On December 16, 2024, undercover officers set up a controlled buy using the victim’s phone. Upon arrival, officers surrounded Fairley’s vehicle, where he handed a concealed bag of Fentanyl to a passenger and instructed her to hide it.
During today’s emotional sentencing, the victim’s mother delivered a victim impact statement. Addressing the defendant, she instructed Fairley to look at her, quoted John 3:16, and asked him where he would be spending eternity.
Assistant District Attorneys Iain Dover and Tiffany Dover prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Louisiana.
District Attorney J. Collin Sims praised the outcome and the law enforcement effort that brought closure to the victim’s family. “Today’s sentence brings an end to the criminal career of a predator who traded a human life for profit,” said District Attorney J. Collin Sims. “While no prison sentence can undo the loss suffered by Roxanne Fortenberry’s family, today’s life sentence ensures that this defendant will never again poison our community. I want to thank our prosecution team and all of our law enforcement partners for their steadfast commitment to delivering justice for victims of deadly fentanyl traffickers,” said DA Sims.
DA Sims extends his appreciation to the joint law enforcement team that investigated the case, including the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT), the U.S. Secret Service, the Louisiana State Police, the Covington Police Department, and the Bogalusa Police Department.