Police: Muncie man provided co-worker with fentanyl pill that led to fatal overdose

MUNCIE, Ind. — A Muncie man is accused of providing a co-worker with a fentanyl pill that led to his fatal overdose.

Wesley Lee Townsend, 35, was arrested Friday on preliminary counts of dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death and conspiracy to commit dealing in a narcotic drug.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the overdose victim — a 25-year-old Anderson man — was found partially submerged in a hot tub at his home on Sept. 16. Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

Forensic tests showed the victim had fentanyl and cocaine in his system at the time of his death. At the scene, Anderson police reported finding "residue consistent with a crushed fentanyl pill," and two fentanyl pills were also found in the man's wallet, the court document said.

A friend of the victim told investigators the Anderson man had been trading cocaine — with a co-worker at the CANPACK plant in Muncie — in exchange for the pills, which were manufactured to appear to be Oxycontin pills.

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It became apparent the drug transaction leading to the overdose allegedly had taken place in Delaware County, so Yorktown police became involved in the investigation.

Ryan Jeromine, an investigator with the Yorktown department, reported text messages recovered from the victim's phone indicated the victim made arrangements to trade cocaine to Townsend in exchange for the pills

On the night of Sept. 15, a witness told police, the victim was in a Yorktown bar and acknowledged he had three "oxy" pills in his possession.

Shortly after 8:45 a.m. Sept. 16, the affidavit states, the victim's phone call with a friend ended abruptly, prompting that person to go to his home, where she found him unresponsive in the hot tub.

Interviewed on Friday, Townsend reportedly admitted having sold pills to the victim, but he maintained the transaction referred to in the text messages, shortly before the fatal overdose, had not taken place. Townsend allegedly told police that the deal "fell through."

Townsend continued to be held in the Delaware County Jail on Monday under a $55,000 bond.

Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman's office will determine whether formal charges in the case will be filed.

Court records reflect no prior charges against Townsend.

Douglas Walker is a news reporter for The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Muncie man arrested as suspect in drug deal that led to overdose death