An Akron man will spend 21 years in prison for selling a drug addict the highly potent fentanyl that killed her when she overdosed in March 2015.
Kevin Ecker’s case was the 22nd drug-related involuntary manslaughter case to end with a conviction in Summit County — but his was the first to go to trial. Ecker’s attorney, Scott Rilley, urged a jury at trial last month to blame the addict, 21-year-old Jessica Canada Holmes of Akron, and not the drug dealer, Ecker.
Ultimately, the jury opted to convict Ecker on all counts. He was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and 12 other charges related to dealing drugs, including heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and marijuana.
Ecker’s sentencing on Friday comes in the midst of an outbreak of drug overdoses in the region. Since July 5, at least 173 people have overdosed on opiates, resulting in 16 deaths, according to Beacon Journal news partner WEWS (Channel 5).
Carfentanil, a drug used to sedate elephants and other large animals, has been found in the syringes of several addicts who have died in the massive wave of overdoses. Carfentanil is similar to fentanyl — which is up to 50 times more potent than heroin — but it’s even more dangerous.
Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh said all drug dealers who peddle dangerous substances will be punished.
“Heroin, fentanyl, and now carfentanil, have left a trail of death in our community,” she said. “Kevin Ecker, and drug dealers like him, must be held accountable for preying on people caught in the grips of addiction,” she said. “As we search for solutions to this health crisis, my office will continue to fight for victims and their families who are battling with this crippling addiction.”
According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is the rising drug of choice for many addicts. In a news release on Friday, the DEA reported that hundreds of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills — many containing deadly amounts of fentanyl — had made their way into the U.S. drug market. Police across the country are reporting higher fentanyl availability, drug seizures and overdose deaths related to the drug.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid often produced in China, is sometimes mixed with heroin or other drugs to increase potency. Sometimes fentanyl is mixed or sold on its own in place of heroin without a buyer’s knowledge. The DEA reported 13,000 samples across the United States had tested positive for fentanyl in 2015, compared to about 8,000 in 2014. The difference represented a 65 percent increase in one year.
Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ngfalcon.