Lengthy prison sentence in Sharon man's overdose death
Oct. 5—MERCER — Mercer County Common Pleas Judge D. Neil McEwen sentenced a Youngstown, Ohio, man to 4 to 10 years in prison for his role in the overdose death of Michael Walker.
Kahmel Rashard Washington, 32, pleaded guilty to a charge of drug delivery resulting in death for the Sept 24, 2022, death of Walker, 39, of Sharon.
The district attorney's office accepted the plea in return for the lengthy prison sentence.
Washington and his attorney, Randall T. Hetrick, had no comments prior to sentencing Thursday.
According to a criminal complaint from the county detectives bureau, Sharon police responded at 10:20 a.m. Sept. 24 to a medical emergency at 689 Prindle St. The caller said a 39-year-old man was on the front porch, unresponsive and without a pulse.
A Sharon patrolman and emergency responders tried to revive the man. He was taken to Sharon Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Mercer County Coroner John A. Libonati performed a rapid drug screen on the victim, which tested positive for cocaine and fentanyl.
Detectives reported that Walker met a friend Sept. 23 at the friend's house at 689 Prindle St. Walker and the friend remained at the home until about 8:15 a.m. Sept. 24 when Washington gave them a ride to the Brookfield Drive-In store, 862 S. Irvine Ave., Masury, to cash Walker's paycheck.
The trio went back to the Prindle Street house and, while in Washington's SUV, police said Walker bought $100 of powdered cocaine from Washington. Washington took it out of his pocket and gave it to Walker.
The coroner's report determined that fentanyl was the primary cause of Walker's death.
Detectives also found communications between Washington and other known narcotics users within the area and found that he was trying to sell cocaine at the time of Walker's death.
Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com
Follow Melissa Klaric on twitter @HeraldKlaric or email her at mklaric@sharonherald.com
