A Berea man was charged on a two-count indictment filed in federal court for the distribution of heroin that killed a Lakewood man earlier this year, according to Carole S. Rendon, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Brandon Wagner, 43, was indicted on one count of distribution of heroin and one count of using a communication facility to facilitate a felony. The charges stemmed from a March 16 sale that resulted in the death of another person, according to the indictment.
That count carried a sentencing enhancement that could result in a 20-year mandatory minimum penalty.
“The unrelenting wave of fatalities associated with heroin and opioid abuse is a reminder to all of us that we need to do more to protect our community from this epidemic,” Rendon said. “The only way we can stem this tide is with a comprehensive approach focused on prevention, treatment, prescribing practices and enforcement. Law enforcement will continue to aggressively prosecute dealers whose actions result in the deaths of our sons and daughters.”
“The crisis we have in our communities due to heroin and fentanyl is not a problem for just the addicted,” said Lakewood Police Chief Tim Malley. “The families and friends are just as intimately involved with the damage and sorrow this causes. The Lakewood Police Department will continue to investigate all of our overdose cases to hold those accountable that have participated in any way in ending someone’s life. Those selling the heroin know that fatal consequences are all too likely with what they are selling, all for a few dollars. The Lakewood Police Department will continue to work with the U.S. Department of Justice, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office, and the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner to hold those accountable and take them off our streets for lengthy prison sentences.”
