San Diego, California – Micah Rodgers Seau, the nephew of San Diego Chargers legend Junior Seau, entered a plea of not guilty to a murder charge on Tuesday. This charge stems from his alleged involvement in a fentanyl sale that resulted in the fatal overdose of 31-year-old Connor Gerhart on June 1, 2023.
Prosecutors claim that Seau purchased fentanyl pills from co-defendant Sheri Cavanaugh and later supplied them to Gerhart, who tragically lost his life at his Pacific Beach residence on the same day. Seau is accused of selling the pills to Gerhart for $700 after acquiring them from Cavanaugh for at least $1,200.
Both Seau and Cavanaugh are facing charges of murder and conspiracy to commit a crime. If found guilty on all counts, they could be sentenced to up to 15 years to life in state prison. Following their arraignments in a San Diego Superior Court, the pair remains in custody.
The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office described Seau and Cavanaugh as “longtime associates involved in illegal narcotics trafficking.” District Attorney Summer Stephan emphasized the dangers of fentanyl, stating that selling such a potent drug with knowledge of its lethal effects can result in murder charges if someone dies from its use.
The prosecution revealed that there have been eight individuals charged with homicide-related offenses related to fatal fentanyl sales since 2017. Additionally, approximately 800 fentanyl-related deaths occurred in San Diego County in both 2021 and 2022, underscoring the severity of the opioid crisis in the region.
A glimpse into Gerhart’s background revealed that he was a San Diego native and a La Jolla Country Day High School graduate. At the time of his passing, he was involved in construction projects, including the redevelopment of the San Ysidro and Otay Mesa ports of entry. Described as having a promising career and bright future, Gerhart’s untimely death has left his loved ones grieving his loss.