BATON ROUGE — A Zachary man arrested in 2022 was sentenced this week after pleading guilty to charges of manslaughter and possession with intent to distribute Schedule I drugs. Dalton Saucier was arrested in Oct. 2022 after 19-year-old Jayden Fazzio died of a drug overdose, a mixture of heroin and fentanyl.
On Sept. 24, Judge Carson Marcantel sentenced Saucier to serve five years in the Department of Corrections for the charge of manslaughter and 20 years for the charge of possession with intent to distribute Schedule I drugs (heroin). The sentences will run concurrently, meaning Saucier will serve 20 years total in prison.
“This negotiated plea was based upon conversations with the victim’s family and the circumstances surrounding the case and evidence,” said 19th Judicial Court District Attorney Hillar Moore.
Fazzio died on Oct. 4, 2022, of fentanyl overdose, according to the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office.
Saucier was arrested on Oct. 4, 2022, on the charges of second-degree murder and possession with intent to distribute Schedule II drugs. His bond was set at $315,000.
Saucier was indicted in January 2023 on those same charges. On Sept. 24, the possession charge was amended to Schedule I drugs (heroin) instead of Schedule II (fentanyl), according to the amended indictment. In addition, the second degree murder charge was amended to manslaughter.
“Dealing fentanyl is a deadly game which has taken the lives of many wonderful, talented people,” Moore said. “While nothing can bring him back to life we hope that this outcome will allow for the family to begin healing from their grievous loss.”
Court records show that Saucier was previously arrested on other drugs charges before Fazzio’s death.
Download the Unfiltered with Kiran app from the Apple App Store and Google Play to stay updated on the latest news across the Capital area.
Support UWK and its mission to deliver The News You Deserve. Unfiltered. Become a monthly patron on Patreon today!
