Coroners and police around the Chicago area say they’re growing increasingly alarmed about the use of synthetic forms of heroin that are sometimes taken as a heroin substitute or mixed with it to deadly effect.
In McHenry County, Coroner Anne Majewski said two deaths last year were related to the use of furanyl fentanyl, a type of synthetic opioid that has shown up elsewhere in the collar counties in recent months along with other dangerous forms of fentanyl. Test results are pending on another McHenry County death this year suspected to involve furanyl fentanyl, Majewski said.
It’s "a very serious concern as (we’re) seeing more cases of synthetics alone and heroin laced with other opioids," she said.
Meanwhile, authorities in McHenry County have continued their aggressive pursuit of criminal charges — included drug-induced homicide — for those accused of selling or otherwise providing heroin and other opioids.
Just in the last week, a Huntley man was charged with drug-induced homicide after authorities said he supplied a mix of heroin and furanyl fentanyl believed to have been ingested by a man who was found unresponsive at a Lake in the Hills home last April and later died, according to the McHenry County Sheriff’s office.
Terrance Kampas, 27, was also charged with unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, police said.
Two days later, in a separate case, a Wauconda man pleaded guilty to drug-induced homicide, admitting that in 2015 he sold heroin to a 28-year-old Port Barrington man who suffered a fatal overdose.
Man gets 8 years for heroin overdose death in McHenry County Robert McCoppin
A man was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday for selling a fatal dose of heroin to a man who died at his home in Port Barrington.
In an agreement with McHenry County prosecutors, Rolando Aguilar, 28, of Wauconda, pleaded guilty to drug-induced homicide in the death of Michael Marudecki.
…
A man was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday for selling a fatal dose of heroin to a man who died at his home in Port Barrington.
In an agreement with McHenry County prosecutors, Rolando Aguilar, 28, of Wauconda, pleaded guilty to drug-induced homicide in the death of Michael Marudecki.
… (Robert McCoppin)
In that case, Rolando Aguilar, 28, was sentenced to eight years in prison, officials said.
Thursday, the same day that Aguilar pleaded guilty, the sheriff’s department also announced the arrest of a man they said was caught selling heroin while he was out of jail on bond following a heroin-related arrest in July.
Authorities said more than 40 grams of heroin were seized from the home of Brian Freund, 30, of Wonder Lake, and he has been charged with unlawful possession and delivery of a controlled substance, according to a police news release.
Another man was sentenced this past week to three years in prison this week after a probation violation stemming from heroin delivery charges related to his girlfriend’s fatal overdose in 2015. Cody Hillier, of Algonquin, admitted to using drugs while on probation last year.
Hillier had testified last month against James Linder, the Zion man who sold the heroin that was linked to the death of Hillier’s girlfriend Danielle Barzyk.
Two years of probation, time served for man whose girlfriend overdosed Amanda Marrazzo
An Algonquin man got two years of probation and time served for the overdose death of his girlfriend, but he must testify against the alleged drug dealer involved.
Cody Hillier admitted to possessing and delivering heroin to his girlfriend, which authorities said killed her. He will be released…
An Algonquin man got two years of probation and time served for the overdose death of his girlfriend, but he must testify against the alleged drug dealer involved.
Cody Hillier admitted to possessing and delivering heroin to his girlfriend, which authorities said killed her. He will be released…
(Amanda Marrazzo)
Linder was found guilty of drug-induced homicide in Barzyk’s death and awaits sentencing.
Amanda Marrazzo is a freelance reporter.
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