Drug dealer sentenced in Rocklin teen's fentanyl death

17-year prison sentence for selling deadly fentanyl

Roseville, Calif. – On Sept. 1, 2022, the Honorable Judge Penney sentenced Virgil Xavier Bordner, age 22, to 17 years in the in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation regarding the fentanyl death of local Rocklin teen Zachary Didier.

On July 12, 2022, Bordner, plead to all charges regarding the fentanyl death of local Rocklin teen Zachary Didier.

The Didier family has been supported through the case process by the case prosecutor and a victim advocate from the Placer County District Attorney's Office Victim Services Unit. Dozens of family members, loved ones and supporters were present at today's court hearing.

Bordner plead to three charges including involuntary manslaughter and two counts of selling a controlled substance to a minor and admitted the special allegation of inflicting great bodily injury.

"This office remains committed to holding dealers of this deadly drug accountable"

Morgan Gire, Placer District Attorney

"Through aggressive prosecution, county-wide investigations, support from our local officials, partnership with our schools and our 1 Pill Can Kill Placer campaign – the participation and collaboration at every level to fight this epidemic will save lives. We will continue to seek justice for Zach and the Didier family and all families affected by this fentanyl crisis at every level."

The county also held a press conference following the hearing on efforts being taken outside of the courtroom to combat this fentanyl epidemic.

Education campaign

Since the launch of the 1Pill can Kill Placer campaign in April, the county reports that it has hit two million impressions for the social media campaign, over 242,000 impressions from movie theater PSA ads, spoken to over 12,000 students during school assemblies and have over 2,400 listeners on the county's 1 Pill Can Kill Placer podcast. The DA's office also partnered with Roseville Transit to sponsor bus ads, as well as the county's Treasurer-Tax Collector to send 175,000 informational inserts in residents' tax bills.

"We are committed to using every resource at our disposal to combat this crisis that is taking the lives of so many young people in Placer County," said Placer County Board Vice-Chair Jim Holmes. "While it is a national crisis, the effort to eradicate these poison pills must occur at the grassroots level and Placer County intends to lead the way with education, enhanced law enforcement and stronger penalties for drug dealers."

"I want to extend my deepest thanks to the Didier family for their tireless advocacy on behalf of children and families across Placer County and the nation," said Dr. Rob Oldham, director of Placer County Health and Human Services. "We are working with our 1 Pill Can Kill Placer campaign partners to make sure every young person in Placer County hears one simple message: Don't take any pills that haven't been prescribed for you."

To learn more about countywide efforts visit www.1PillcanKillPlacer.com and www.placer.ca.gov/FightingFentanyl.