Mahanoy man charged for selling drugs resulting in another man’s death
MAHANOY CITY – A Mahanoy City man is in Schuylkill County Prison, accused of selling another man the fentanyl that killed him.
Brendon Brown, 32, of 1231 East Pine Street, was jailed Wednesday on felony drug charges, including delivery resulting in death.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Mahanoy City Police Corporal Charles Kovalewski, police were called on March 30 around 11am to a medical call.
Derreck Forker-Leso was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead.
He was dependent after a vehicle accident in 2022 and was in the care of his mother, who found two baggies Kovalewski said in the complaint are commonly used to package heroin or fentanyl.
She told police she had been trying to keep drugs out of the house.
With her permission, police searched Forker-Leso’s phone. She said a lot of his “old friends” had been coming around and potentially trying to bring him drugs.
That morning, police said, a Facebook Messenger conversation between Forker-Leso and Brown appeared to have been setting up a drug deal.
Forker-Leso confirmed receipt of the drugs and said “I can tell it’s all legit bro… I did it all bro” and stopped responding to messages from Brown around 8am, who replied “what did I say about answering me, you got me worried as f—.”
He tried calling, to no avail, and about 3 hours later, Forker-Leso was found unresponsive.
A toxicology report found fentanyl in his system and Schuylkill County Coroner Dr. David Moylan ruled the cause of death as homicide.
Brown was seen Wednesday around 9am by Chief TJ Rentschler, who asked Brown to talk to him at the station under his own free will.
Brown acknowledged his Miranda rights and spoke to the chief, admitting to the conversation and deal.
He, police said, appeared to be remorseful over the incident and said he never wished to harm Forker-Leso, who he considered like a brother to him. Brown was then taken into custody and arraigned on felony charges.
He was committed to Schuylkill County Prison, unable to post $250,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing is set for July 11.
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