Zanesville drug dealer sentenced for involuntary manslaughter
A Zanesville woman is receiving time in prison for her role in a man’s drug overdose death.
Tashia D. Stevens, 41, of Zanesville, appeared before Muskingum County Court of Common Pleas judge Mark C. Fleegle recently to enter a guilty plea, confessing to felony involuntary manslaughter and trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound.
Stevens will serve 10 years in prison for her crimes.
On Feb. 22, 2024, law enforcement officers responded to a report of a man having overdosed on drugs in the bathroom of a local business.
The man was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities searched the victim’s belongings on his person and found his cell phone. Investigators unlocked the phone and found text messages between him and another individual, later determined to be Stevens, regarding drug transactions.
On May 2, law enforcement investigators were able to track down and question Stevens, who allegedly admitted to supplying the victim with drugs.
Stevens holds responsibility for supplying the victim with the drugs that ended his life, the victim’s mother wrote in a letter to the court.
“I want Ms. Stevens to know our son’s death will always be on her hands,” the victim’s mother wrote. “She will always be known as the woman who killed our son. No matter what time she gets, [there] will never be justice. Our son is gone. She gets to see and talk to her family. She gets to breathe, while our son is gone.”
Muskingum County Assistant Prosecutor John Litle says the victim’s family can take heart that the killer of their son is being held responsible.
“The loss of [the victim’s] life will be a struggle for his family and his five children for years to come,” Litle said. “Thanks to Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office Detective Hittle’s prompt and thorough investigation, they will at the very least have closure as to the woman responsible for his death. Every drug dealer is responsible for deaths and destroyed lives. It is very gratifying when we’re able to hold one directly to account for the results of their trade.”
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