Manslaughter Charge Filed In Sarasota Overdose Death: Police

SARASOTA, FL — A 36-year-old Sarasota man faces multiple charges in connection with a March overdose death, Sarasota police said in a news release.

Ricky Turner, Jr. faces one count of manslaughter, three counts of sale of fentanyl, three counts of the use of a two-way communication and three counts of driving with a suspended license, police said.

Police began investigating the March 7 overdose death, after the victim was found dead in an apartment, on March 8.

Detectives learned that Turner had been speaking with the victim since January, police said. The two messaged each other and the victim purchased drugs from Turner.

According to a toxicology report that detectives received July 1, the victim had fentanyl in their system when they died. A doctor who analyzed the victim’s blood told police July 2 that the victim had died of a fentanyl overdose, police said.

In March and April, undercover detectives purchased fentanyl from Turner three times in exchange for cash, police said. Between March 16 and April 17, they purchased 2.3 grams of fentanyl.

Police arrested Turner Wednesday in a hotel parking lot in the 1800 block of North Tamiami Trail in Sarasota without incident. He was taken to Sarasota County Jail, where he’s being held on bond, police said.

“People may think that drug crimes are a victimless crime but that isn’t the case,” Lieutenant Jeff Steiner with the agency’s Criminal Investigations Division said. “Families are affected. Our community is affected. We take each overdose case we investigate seriously. Detectives and officers with the Sarasota Police Department work diligently every day to prevent these types of crimes from happening in the future.”