Pubdate: Wed, 27 Sep 2006
Source: Star Press, The (IN)
Copyright: 2006 The Star Press
Contact:  http://www.thestarpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1925
Author: Nick Werner
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/testing.htm (Drug Test)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)

OVERDOSE DEATH LEADS TO MUNCIE TEEN'S ARREST

MUNCIE -- An investigation into the death of a young man in an 
apparent overdose this week led to the arrest of his drug dealer, 
according to authorities.

Thomas Lee Saunders Jr., 20, was discovered lifeless Monday morning 
at a friend's house in the 200 block of North Pershing Street with a 
fentanyl patch on his left shoulder, according to police reports.

Later that day police arrested Joshua Corwin, 18, 610 S. Council St., 
on preliminary charges of dealing in a schedule II controlled 
substance, a class B felony carrying a standard 10-year prison term, 
and possession of marijuana, a misdemeanor.

Fentanyl is a painkiller that is 80 more times potent than morphine, 
according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. The drug is available 
in a patch, much like a nicotine patch, that illegal users sometimes 
chew or melt and inject intravenously for an instant high, according 
to area coroners.

Fentanyl abuse became apparent in Delaware County in 2003 when the 
drug claimed the lives of four people in six months and nearly killed 
two Eaton teenagers.

Fentanyl-related deaths have resurfaced sporadically since then, 
Delaware County Coroner James Clevenger said.

"Fentanyl is kind of the new problem we are being faced with," Clevenger said.

The coroner estimated he has investigated about 12 fentanyl-related 
deaths in the past five years, including two or three this year.

Those numbers are comparable to overdoses attributed to more commonly 
known street and prescription drugs such as cocaine, heroin and 
Valium, Clevenger said.

Blackford County Coroner Tod Waters said illegal fentanyl use is part 
of an increasing prescription drug problem. He has investigated nine 
accidental fatal drug overdoses in 30 months and almost all involved 
combinations of prescription drugs.

Clevenger has not made an official ruling in Saunders's death, but an 
autopsy ruled out all possible causes of death except overdose, he said.

Saunders had also been drinking, Clevenger said. It is unknown 
whether alcohol or other drugs aside from fentanyl also might have 
contributed to the death.

"We do suspect that illegal drug use was the cause of this young 
man's death," Clevenger said. "That has not been proven until I get 
lab work back. But we have pretty much ruled everything else out."

The probable cause affidavit for Corwin's arrest said Corwin admitted 
to selling both marijuana and a fentanyl patch to Saunders on Saturday.

A friend of Saunders led police to Corwin, according to reports.

While serving a search warrant on Corwin's residence, police reported 
finding hydrocodone and marijuana.

Corwin was being held without bond Tuesday in the Delaware County jail.
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