From left: Michael Manske, Donavyn Mueller, Joseph Schmidt-Rehbein and Maison Springston. PC: Fox 11 Online
FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Donavyn Mueller was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for his role in a fatal fentanyl overdose, in which the victim was found dead on a Ripon sidewalk. It’s the longest sentence issued in the case.
Mueller, 19, was also placed on extended supervision for ten years by Judge Douglas Edelstein, court records show.
Officials say the 18-year-old victim and other teens went to a home on Scott Street in Ripon and used narcotics. While there, the victim began to experience overdose symptoms and became unresponsive. The people in the home took him outside, placed him on the sidewalk and ran away.
His body was found the next morning. The medical examiner listed bromazolam and fentanyl toxicity as the cause of death, according to the complaint.
(Donavyn) “Mueller sends [name] an audio message where he is informing [name] of what the pills he would be selling him really are, and what their potency is. Mueller tells [name] the product is definitely good, that it’s good money, but it’s not good for your clientele. Mueller tells [name] that there is fentanyl in the pills, and that if someone takes a full pill or a small person takes more than half of one, it would really mess them up. This message clearly shows that Mueller was knowingly distributing fentanyl laced counterfeit pills with the appearance of being Percocet 30 milligram pills,” the complaint states.
“The Ripon Police Department did an exceptional job investigating this death to help the family receive justice by climbing three layers deep in the chain of delivery of this fentanyl death, which is rare. Their dedication and hard work has taken another dangerous drug dealer off our streets,” Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney said in a news release. “We will continue fighting the deadly opioid epidemic with our law enforcement partners and standing with all families that continue to suffer from this epidemic.”
Others have already been sentenced in the case: Maison Springston was sentenced to seven years in prison. Joseph Schmidt-Rehbein was sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison. Michael Manske was sentenced to one year in prison.
The investigation shows the known chain of delivery started with Donovyn Mueller, who became the target of the investigation, to Kyle Lamb (deceased), to Joseph Schmidt-Rehbein with Mason Springston, and ultimately to the victim, prosecutors said.
Comments