Collegeville Teen Dealt Fatal Fentanyl Dose To Man Just Out Of Recovery: DA

COLLEGEVILLE, PA — A Collegeville teen faces criminal homicide charges for dealing a fatal fentanyl dose to a 20-year-old Perkiomen man who had left a drug recovery program just months before, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office announced Monday.

Patrick R. Yahner, 19, was arrested on Sept. 19 for the overdose death of Justin Service, 20, of Perkiomen, which occurred in April, the DA said.

Service, who had undergone treatment at a center in January, contacted Yahner on the night of April 8 to obtain drugs, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

Unlike what is often the case, Service did not take the fentanyl thinking it was heroin; recovered text messages between Service and Yahner show that Service specifically asked for something called "f," later confirmed by authorities to be fentanyl.

The pair initially were going to meet at Target in Royersford but then decided to meet at the Dollar Tree in Trappe, according to police reports.

They met sometime after 11:13 p.m. for the buy. Service's mother found him dead in the basement of their home in Perkiomen Township at 11:10 a.m. the next morning, authorities said.

Text message records show that Yahner obtained the fentanyl from a supplier named Jeff in Skippack, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

A lengthy investigation eventually led police to Yahner. Undercover officers arranged a meeting with Yahner at the Dollar Tree, and he was taken into custody on Sept. 19. According to police, Yahner admitted that he was the one who provided the fentanyl that killed Service.

Yahner was arraigned on Monday. A preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 31.

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