Lima man pleads guilty to causing woman's overdose
Jul. 26—LIMA — A Lima man faces a prison sentence of two to eight years when he is sentenced in September on a charge of providing fentanyl to a woman who overdosed and nearly died.
Brandon Stephenson, 26, was indicted by the June grand jury on charges of corrupting another with drugs, a second-degree felony, and having weapons under disability, a third-degree felony. The indictment alleges that on or about May 13, Stephenson caused a female to overdose by providing, administering or furnishing her with fentanyl, a Schedule II drug.
It was also determined Stephenson was in possession of an illegal, sawed-off shotgun at the time of the incident.
According to court records, members of the Lima Police Department executed a search warrant at Stephenson's residence at 606 N. Elizabeth St., Lima. The warrant was served as a result of the drug investigation that determined the Lima man sold pressed fentanyl pills to the female in question, who almost died as a result of the pills, police said.
Detectives also learned that Stephenson was in possession of a sawed-off shotgun that he was believed to keep in his bedroom. Law enforcement officials observed photographs of him holding the shotgun and were told he purchased the shotgun "on the street" from an unknown male.
An LPD detective wrote in the probable cause affidavit that Stephenson had prior convictions for felonious assault and burglary and, as such, was under Ohio law prevented from legally possessing a firearm. A search warrant was executed at the North Elizabeth Street residence and a loaded, sawed-off Stevens .12 gauge shotgun was found.
Stephenson on Monday entered into a plea deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to the second-degree felony in exchange for the state's dismissal of the remaining count as well as a parole violation in a separate case.
Judge Jeffrey Reed ordered a pre-sentence investigation and set a sentencing hearing for Sept. 9.
Stephenson had been scheduled to stand trial beginning Aug. 10.
