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Third person sentenced in Washington County overdose case

Photo by Janelle Patterson Alicia Miller, right, appears with her lawyer Rolf Baumgartel in Washington County Common Pleas Court Wednesday.

MARIETTA — Alicia Miller, 34, of 4534 State Route 60, McConnelsville, Ohio, was the third person in an overdose case from last November to be sentenced Wednesday, for possession of fentanyl, a fifth-degree felony, and breach of recognizance, a fourth-degree felony.

Last fall task force agents conducted a search in Marietta after Miller, Brittany Wheeler and Jacob Rowe all overdosed on what they believed to be heroin provided by Justin Schroeder, officials said.

The four were arrested on Nov. 7.

“He’s confessed too and will be up for sentencing in a few weeks,” noted Washington County Assistant Prosecutor Joe Derkin of Schroeder.

Wheeler and Rowe were each sentenced to jail time, community control and rehabilitation in May. Miller also received the same sentence from Washington County Common Pleas Judge Mark Kerenyi.

“But so far she’s not shown a positive response to community control or prison,” noted Kerenyi during sentencing. “She shows no remorse for the offense.”

Kerenyi sentenced Miller to two years of community control and 120 days in jail with 66 days credit and assessment for drug rehabilitation.

“My understanding is that you overdosed?” he asked Miller in court. “Have you been in treatment before?”

“No, I’ve always been sent to prison,” Miller answered.

“And prison didn’t stop you?” Kerenyi followed.

“They don’t have real rehab in prison; it makes you angry,” said Miller.

“My hope is to save your life,” Kerenyi said.

“Thank you,” Miller replied.

Then Kerenyi added, noting a breach of recognizance when Miller did not appear for a pretrial hearing in February, that the additional fourth-degree felony charge made her prison eligible, whereas simply the drug charge did not.

“If she violates community control the court will impose the 18 months prison,” said the judge, noting two prior prison terms for drug trafficking in Ohio and West Virginia, the first in 2010, and multiple theft charges between them.

Miller pleaded guilty to both recent charges on April 27 and was afforded 66 days confinement credit for the fifth-degree felony and 46 days credit toward the fourth-degree felony.

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