In an attempt to combat the opioid crisis in Jacksonville, Sheriff Mike Williams announced Tuesday that those who sell or supply illegal narcotics like heroin and fentanyl could face murder charges for overdose deaths.
"Since the overdose death resulted from the premeditated sale and supply of those narcotics, that action holds the person responsible and liable in the resulting death, which can result in a murder charge," he said.
Since 2018, Williams said at least five people were indicted on murder charges following overdose deaths in Jacksonville: 24-year-old Deonte Artez Wadley, 36-year-old Adriene Joy Velarde, 25-year-old Ashley Renee Cooper, 34-year-old Ashley Marie Urmanec and 33-year-old Larry Boldknight. Boldknight is facing federal charges.
Williams added that 20 other people were also arrested on separate drug charges and that police have probable cause to indict for murder.
In 2019 alone, at least 320 people died from drug overdoses in Jacksonville, according to Jacksonville Fire and Rescue's fire chief, Keith Powers.
"That's about one-a-day through the end of the year," he said. "That's an absolute tragedy that that's going on in our community."
Powers, who joined Williams and State Attorney Melissa Nelson during a news conference on Tuesday, added that JFRD treated 3,665 people for opioid overdoses in 2019 -- up 45 percent from 2018, he said.
"In some cases, they're going back to the same patient three times in one day who is in respiratory arrest," he said. "They have quit breathing, we treat them, they go to the hospital and come home, use the drug again, we treat them again, they go to the hospital, come home and it happens again. That's a crisis."
5 facing murder charges following drug overdoses
Williams revealed that since 2018, 440 overdose deaths have been investigated. He said JSO has a dedicated team of investigators that work to identify sources of narcotics -- especially heroin and fentanyl -- that lead to deaths in the community.
"[They] help piece together the scene to attempt to identify the person responsible for selling and providing the drugs that caused the deaths of the victim," he said.
Investigators looked into 263 cases in 2019, which is up 65 percent from 2018's 177 cases, he said.
"So while today, we're solely talking about law enforcement's approach to hold these people accountable for the deaths, it's important to get the message out to everyone about the risk involved of using illegal narcotics of any kind ... get people the help they need and obviously save lives in the process," he said.
"The opioid epidemic facing our city is similar to the one playing out in communities all across our nation," Nelson said. "Overdoses, particularly those involving fentanyl, are killing people and leaving family and loved ones devastated ... These indictments send an important message to drug dealers ... lead to death, held accountable, not only with sale of drugs, but for murder."
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