Everyone knows the jokes about Mario’s penchant for mushrooms being a secret drug addiction, but I didn’t think someone would take that literally. As spotted by GameSpot, a Connecticut man has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and meth pills in the shape of Mario. No, it’s not some knock-off looking Mario, either, but a pretty solid recreation of Nintendo’s number one mascot.
33-year-old Ronnell Rogers was sentenced on May 11th, 2026, to 72 months in prison and an additional three years of supervised release for the distribution of fentanyl and for violating the terms of his parole from a prior conviction. Rogers was arrested two years ago on May 2nd, 2024, by police in New Haven, CT after they found Mario-shaped pills in his possession. At the time of his arrest, authorities said, “Rogers possessed fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin packaged for distribution, including meth pills shaped like cartoon characters that could be mistaken for candy.”
Coincidentally enough, Rogers had previously been sentenced two years prior, in 2022, for possession of narcotics and firearms. His sentence was reduced, likely for good behavior, but he was arrested again a few months later after being released in 2024. I guess the call of becoming “Super” Mario was too much to handle for him.
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
