One of three men charged with providing the counterfeit drugs that led to the fatal overdose of rapper Mac Miller has pleaded not guilty.
Cameron James Pettit, 28, of West Hollywood, entered the plea in federal court Thursday in Los Angeles. Petitt is charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances resulting in death and distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Each charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Pettit, who has been in custody since his September 4th arrest, stood alongside court-appointed attorney John Robertson in a beige jumpsuit and black buzz cut, and spoke only to respond to a Judge Frederick F. Mumm’s questions. His trial is set for November 26.
A second man, Stephen “Stevie” Walter, 46, of Westwood, was also set to appear at the arraignment under the same charges. Walter is currently serving time on an unrelated sentence in San Diego, but could not be moved due to a mumps scare at his facility, which is under quarantine. Walter’s arraignment was moved to October 31.
A third man, Ryan Reavis, 36, of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, has been charged with fraud and drug and gun possession in connection with the case.
Prosecutors allege that Walter, via Reavis, provided Pettit with counterfeit oxycodone containing fentanyl, which Pettit then sold to the 26-year-old Miller two days before the rapper’s accidental fatal overdose in Studio City on September 7, 2018. An autopsy of Miller found fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol in his system.
Miller, born Malcolm James McCormick, began rapping at the age of 14 in his hometown of Pittsburgh. He would go on to release five albums and several mixtapes, earning a devoted following along the way. Miller released his final LP, Swimming, on August 3, 2018, a little over a month before his death.
Both Roberts and a rep for the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to comment.
