DA Announces Drug Delivery Death Charges Filed in Indiana County

Aly Delp

Aly Delp

Published September 2, 2021 4:21 am
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INDIANA CO., Pa. (EYT) — District Attorney Bob Manzi announced charges have been filed Drug Delivery resulting in Death case related to a 2019 fatality.

On Wednesday, District Attorney Bob Manzi announced charges have been filed against Andrew Rankin, 33 of Ernest, Pennsylvania, for delivery of controlled substances that caused the death of an Indiana County man in 2019.

The charges are being filed after a two-year investigation by members of the Pennsylvania State Police who diligently and methodically combed through electronic evidence from multiple individuals, including the defendant.

The complaint alleges that the victim sought three stamp bags of controlled substances from Rankin. Rankin then agreed to deliver the narcotics for $40.00. Shortly after that conversation, the victim was found deceased with three stamp bags of controlled substances.

According to the complaint, in other conversations, Rankin attempted to sell drugs to other individuals with a personalized stamp on it. This particular stamp is the same stamp found on the drugs by the victim.

“The charge of Drug Delivery Resulting in Death is a challenging one to prove. Typically, people involved in the drug trade do not leave behind much evidence of who they sell to or where they purchase drugs. Many times, law enforcement has an idea of who may have sold the fatal drugs but there is insufficient evidence to even charge” said Manzi.

“Today, we are able to file these charges against this defendant due to the diligent work of the members of the Pennsylvania State Police, Troop A, Indiana. They searched through a great deal of evidence, tied together multiple investigations, and put together a promising prosecution.”

“Criminal charges, convictions in Court and sentences will never bring back any victim of a crime. We hope that in the end, the family is able to find as much closure as they can and the drug dealer is held to account for his actions.”

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