Juvenile who sold fentanyl to 15-year-old charged with murder as an adult

A Bloomington 18-year-old has been charged with murder after a 15-year-old girl fatally overdosed last year after he allegedly sold her fentanyl when he was 17.

Parker Benson is now charged with 3rd-degree murder for selling fentanyl to the victim.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS previously covered the arrest of Benson as a juvenile when he was 17 years old. Since then, prosecutors have elected to charge him as an adult.

On April 20, 2022, the victim’s mother found her laying face-down on her bed, not breathing, with a blue pill lying beside her. She called 911 and started CPR, but the girl was eventually pronounced dead due to fentanyl toxicity.

Authorities later found messages between the victim and Benson that proved he provided her with four pills that he claimed were Percocet but were actually laced with fentanyl.

Benson is being held at the Dakota County Jail, with bail set at $200,000 with conditions and $300,000 without conditions. His next court hearing is scheduled for April 13 at 1:30 p.m.

If convicted, Benson could face up to 25 years in prison, a fine of up to $40,000, or both.