Accused drug dealer charged in overdose death
NEW PHILADELPHIA – A 23-year-old New Philadelphia man has been indicted for involuntary manslaughter for allegedly selling the drugs that contributed to a teenager’s overdose death last year.
The Tuscarawas County Grand Jury last week indicted Thomas E. Ritchie on five felony counts – involuntary manslaughter, aggravated trafficking in drugs, trafficking in cocaine and two counts of corrupting another with drugs.
Tuscarawas County Sheriff’s Detective Cole Morris says Ritchie is accused of selling cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms (psilocybe) to a 17-year-old New Philadelphia teen and Buckeye Career Center student who died of an overdose in March of last year.
Morris says they responded to a report of an overdose at a party attended by many teenagers in Franklin Township. He says the teen died at Akron Children’s Hospital a couple of days later.
Morris said witness statements, cell phone data and social media communications connected the victim to Ritchie.
Tuscarawas County Prosecutor Ryan Styer said Ritchie was taken into custody over the weekend and is the Tuscarawas County Jail awaiting his first court appearance.