By Guy Leonard, The County Times
A St. Mary's County Grand Jury has indicted a California man with second-degree depraved heart murder after a person he allegedly sold fentanyl to died of an overdose in May of last year.
Andrew Duncanson, 25, also faces drug possession and distribution charges stemming from his recent indictment.
Duncanson was arrested and charged with drug possession around the same time last year as the death of Christian Scott Ellis but served just 30 days in jail after a one-year sentence was suspended in county District Court, on-line court records show.
Sources close to the investigation told The County Times that a lengthy investigation had determined that Duncanson had provided the fentanyl Ellis used that resulted in his overdose and death; the fentanyl was illicitly manufactured on the street, according to sources.
The depraved heart murder charge means that the prosecution will attempt to prove that Duncanson knew of the potentially lethal effects that fentanyl can have and still sold the substance to Ellis.
Last year the State's Attorney's office proceeded with eight indictments of murder and other related charges against individuals they alleged had sold opioids that resulted in fatal overdoses.
Juries did not return any murder convictions against defendants but did convict on several other serious charges including manslaughter and reckless endangerment.
State's Attorney Richard Fritz's office regarded the convictions as significant, despite no murder verdicts, because such cases were often not prosecuted; rather they were treated as tragic fatalities.
Sources close to the investigation said more indictments could be coming in subsequent months as the State's Attorney's office is seeking to continue its attack on the opioid epidemic.
Duncanson's trial is set for December in St. Mary's County Circuit Court.
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