Dacula man sentenced to life in prison for selling fentanyl leading to a 2021 death

By Steve Winslow Anchor/Reporter

Posted 5:46AM on Monday, June 23, 2025

A Dacula man will spend his life in prison with the possibility of parole following last week's sentencing in a Gwinnett County courtroom.

The Gwinnett County D.A.'s office social media page says 28-year old Benjamin Hosler was on trial last week allegedly for illegally providing the fentanyl that claimed the life of 24-year old Dylan Smith in September of 2021.

“We constantly remind our community that it only takes one instance of Fentanyl use to end in tragedy,” District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “This defendant laced Fentanyl in the illegal drugs that he sold to the victim, and it turned out to be deadly. We cannot bring this victim back, but we hope this outcome helps his family and loved ones to heal from this loss.”

On September 18 2021, Smith’s mother called Gwinnett County Police when she found him deceased in his bedroom with a depressed syringe in his hand. Police responding to the scene found 0.3 grams of a light-brown chunky substance in a distinctive wrapping on his nightstand that tested positive for Fentanyl. Investigators reviewed Smith’s phone and found a chain of text messages between him and the defendant from the day before he was discovered dead. Smith had asked the defendant for heroin and Xanax. Both substances were laced with Fentanyl. Police eventually arrested Hosler on January 24, 2022.

During last week's trial, media reports indicated prosecutors were showing police body camera footage of their response and the victim's family to Smith's overdose, successfully presenting their case behind what let to Smith's death when Hosler reportedly entered a guilty plea to one count felony murder, two counts of trafficking illegal drugs and other charges.

The Gwinnett County D.A.’s Drug & Gang Task Force (DGTF) Managing Assistant District Attorney Ryan Smith and DGTF Assistant District Attorney Brian Trepanier prosecuted the case with assistance from Victim Advocate Sussy Key, and DGTF Investigators Doug Loomis, John Wilbanks, Yayoi Huggins, Kristy Llewellyn, and David Brucz.

Steve Winslow Anchor/Reporter