Man Charged In Heroin Overdose Death Gets 5 Years In Prison

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL – A 21-year-old Crystal Lake man charged in connection with the overdose death of a 20-year-old in Crystal Lake has been sentenced to five years in prison. John Galloway, 21, entered blind pleas to three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance-heroin for allegedly delivering the drug to Jacob Czipo on May 18, 2017, and to confidential informants on March 1 and March 3, 2017, according to a news release from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office. The drugs were delivered to Czipo just before he died of a heroin overdose, authorities said.

Galloway was convicted on the charges and sentenced Thursday to five years in prison, prosecutors said. He has also been ordered to pay $3,094.65 in fines, according to online court records.

Galloway and a co-defendant in the case, 22-year-old Seth Ferguson of Lake in the Hills, were both initially charged with drug-induced homicide, unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, according to authorities.

The duo was charged in the case following a seven-week investigation into Czipo’s death. Authorities said they found the 20-year-old dead in a home in the 1700 block of Nashville Lane in Crystal Lake on May 18, 2017.

Police learned during a seven-week investigation heroin was allegedly delivered to the man just prior to his death and his cause of death was determined to be due to a heroin overdose. Prosecutors said additional heroin was found amongst Galloway’s property at the scene, prosecutors said.

Fergusson entered a guilty plea to a charge of possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to one year in jail. The drug-induced homicide and delivPhery of a controlled substance charges in his case were dismissed, according to online court records.

Galloway pleaded not guilty to the drug-induced homicide charges and possession of a controlled substance charges in October. Those charges were dropped.

Photo caption: John Galloway/Photo via the McHenry County State's Attorney's Office