The Union County Grand Jury has indicted two Marysville men on unrelated charges stemming from separate overdose deaths.
Kyle Edward Nelson, 25, of 811 Hickory Dr., Marysville is charged with one count each of involuntary manslaughter, trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in drugs and trafficking in marijuana.
Jonathan E. Berry, 46, of 9243 DeGood Road, Marysville, is charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter and five counts of aggravated trafficking in drugs.
Union County Prosecutor David Phillips and Sheriff Jamie Patton have each said they are diligent about prosecuting traffickers who supply drugs in a fatal overdose.
“Anytime we can identify a trafficker in drugs, we will go after them,” Phillips said. “If we can arrest that person, prosecute that person, it really benefits the entire community.”
Phillips said while victims know the risks, the dealers do too.
“When you sell drugs, you know overdose death is a possibility,” Phillips said.
Court documents alleged that on Oct. 15, Nelson sold drugs to Frank Tocci, 55, of Dublin.
Officials said on Oct 16, Tocci went to his job at Honda of America but when his supervisor noticed him acting differently and asked him to take a drug test, Tocci left.
At about 9 a.m. that day, Tocci went to the Marysville White Castle, parked and put his seat down.
Eventually Tocci’s car turned off Wednesday afternoon, likely because it ran out of gas.
An employee parked next to Tocci’s car, saw he wasn’t moving and went to get help. The employee and her boss looked in the car and realized he was dead.
The County Prosecutor’s Office ruled the cause of death as an overdose from cocaine and Xanax. Officials said they don’t know whether the overdose was intended. The death was eventually ruled to be accidental.
Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips said investigators became aware of Nelson through another case. He said Champaign County Sheriffs stopped one of Nelson’s alleged buyers. The buyer gave the drugs to the deputy and worked with investigators to identify Nelson.
If convicted on all charges, Nelson could face as many as 13 years in prison. He is currently at Tri-County Regional Jail. His bond has been set at $250,000.
Berry is charged in connection with the overdose death of Ashley N. Russell. Phillips said on June 19, Berry allegedly sold a mix of Fentanyl and Methamphetamines to Russell. The prosecutor said it was that mix that killed the 32-year-old mother of two. The prosecutor said Berry also allegedly sold drugs to confidential sources. Berry’s bond has been set at $250,000. He is being held at Tri-County Regional Jail. If convicted on all charges, Berry could face as many as 17 and a half years in prison.
Also indicted was:
Marcus Kane Stone, 28, of 71 W. Ninth St., Apartment 16B, Marysville. Stone is charged with one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs. According to court documents, on April 3, Stone was arrested with Oxycodone. If convicted, Stone could face as many as 18 months in prison.
Ronald Bradley Wallace, 38, of 228 Parkway Boulevard, Urbana. Charges against Wallace stem from a Dec. 10, arrest involving methamphetamine.
Wallace was arrested after he drove away from a local gas station after filling up with gasoline.
If convicted on the drug charges, Wallace could face as many as 12 months in prison. He has already pleaded guilty to the theft charge and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
Eugenia Ann Waller, 60, of Detroit, Michigan. Waller was arrested Dec. 24, with Oxycodone. If convicted on all charges, Waller could face as many as 12 months in prison.