MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — A 26-year-old man from Hyattsville has been sentenced to five years in prison for his involvement in the fatal overdose of a Montgomery County teenager, after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
Cesar Alexander Lopez was sentenced Monday in Montgomery County Circuit Court to 10 years, with five years suspended, for the 2023 death of 17-year-old Aiden Vining. Once released, Lopez will serve five years on supervised probation.
The incident occurred on October 24, 2023, when Vining’s family found him unresponsive in his bedroom. First responders were unable to revive him. Investigators found drug paraphernalia and a blue “M30” pill — often a counterfeit Percocet containing fentanyl — in his wallet. The medical examiner later confirmed the teen died from a combination of fentanyl and cocaine intoxication.
Investigators uncovered messages between Lopez and Vining from the day before the teen’s death, in which Vining arranged to buy 10 pills labeled as “percs.” They also learned Vining had previously bought cocaine from Lopez.
Lopez was arrested following an investigation by Montgomery County Police and pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter on November 8, 2024.
“This community continues to suffer devastating losses due to fentanyl,” said State’s Attorney John McCarthy. “Education remains a key tool in warning young people about the deadly risks of street drugs. According to the DEA, seven out of ten seized pills contain a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.”
The case was handled by Assistant State’s Attorneys Jennifer Harrison and Kimberly Cissel of the Overdose Prosecution Unit.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, free and confidential help is available through the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
