Fort Worth parents continue fight against fentanyl after tragedy, but law comes too late for son
A Fort Worth couple has devoted their lives to raising awareness about the dangers of fentanyl since the death of their son.
But Ofie and Frank Moreno, who helped push for a new law that makes supplying fentanyl to people who die face a murder charge, ironically, won't see the kind of justice they were hoping for in their son's case.
The Morenos have spent the last 3 years of their lives educating anyone who will listen about the dangers of fentanyl and how even one pill disguised as pain medication can kill. It's what happened to their 24-year-old son Sebastian 3 years ago.
"In all honesty, we would both rather have our son here than to be known for what we have been doing," said Frank Moreno.
"Not a day goes by we don't wake up hoping to see our son walk through that door," Ofie Moreno said.
The new state law came too late in the case of the man who supplied Sebastian Moreno with the fentanyl disguised as a painkiller.
Joseph Alday, who faced up to 10 years for delivery of a controlled substance causing death, pleaded guilty on Friday in exchange for a 4-year sentence.
"Governor Abbott signed that law after we lost Sebastian," said Frank Moreno. "But it's just heartbreaking."
"My son got the death sentence and we got the life sentence," Ofie Moreno said.
The couple that has devoted their lives to fighting for accountability and justice for fentanyl victims feel their son was denied it in his case.
But the Morenos said they refuse to let their bitterness prevent them from continuing their mission to spread Sebastian's story so other families can be spared a pain they will always feel.
"We're not getting the justice that we would like, but as long as other families do, it'll make us happy," said Frank Moreno.
