Venango County Women Plead Guilty in Drug-Related Deaths

Joanne Bauer

Joanne Bauer

Published May 22, 2019 4:22 am
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VENANGO CO., Pa. (EYT) — Two Venango County women have pleaded guilty in connection to unrelated drug-related deaths.

According to court documents, 37-year-old Heather Morgan, of Oil City, pleaded guilty to the following charges on Monday, May 20:

– Involuntary Manslaughter, Misdemeanor 1
– Conspiracy — Manufacture, Delivery, or Possession With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver, Felony

As a result of the plea agreement several charges were dismissed or withdrawn.

The charges stem from the overdose death of a 14-year-old boy that occurred at a Bishop Avenue residence last year.

Morgan is being held in the Venango County Jail without bail; she is listed as a “flight risk,” according to court documents.

A pre-sentencing investigation is scheduled for July 5.

Details of Morgan’s case:

According to a report released by the Oil City Police, the department received information regarding drug use and distribution at a residence on Bishop Avenue in Oil City.

Through an investigation that began on March 26, 2018, the Oil City Police identified Jarvis Mitchell to be the leader of the group who was suspected to be moving large amounts of controlled substances from Detriot, Michigan, to the Venango County area.

Heather Morgan and other co-conspirators were working under the direction of Mitchell to aid in moving large quantities of narcotics, namely heroin and cocaine. Police conducted multiple search warrants and interviews with co-conspirators, as well as arrests that stemmed from the organization.

According to police, the organization included a 14-year-old boy who was directed to hide narcotics for the organization, which eventually resulted in the overdose of the boy.

The Oil City Police Department received information of the organization continuing to operate with the leader, Mitchell, incarcerated in the Venango County Jail.

Police served a search warrant at the Bishop Avenue residence where 22.58 grams of heroin was located and found to be the same narcotics that killed the 14-year-old.

Based on the investigation, charges were filed in Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish’s office on Wednesday, November 14.

In an unrelated drug-related death, 36-year-old Carina Dee Warnick, of Oil City, pleaded guilty to a first-degree charge of Involuntary Manslaughter.

As a result of the plea negotiation, other drug-related charges were dismissed.

The charge stems from the overdose death of a 30-year-old male. Emergency responders were dispatched to 337 Allegheny Avenue in Oil City on November 9, 2018, for man who was suffering a cardiac arrest caused by a drug overdose. He was transported to UPMC Erie where he died in January of this year.

Warnick is currently free on $35,000.00 unsecured bail.

A pre-sentencing investigation is scheduled for July 19.

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