New York man pleads guilty in fentanyl overdose death – News – GoErie.com

Marvin Parker faces a state prison sentence in the death of Jason Paul Jones.

A New York man who traveled to Corry to sell drugs faces time in state prison after pleading guilty Thursday in the fentanyl overdose of a man who died in Crawford County in March 2018.

Marvin B. Parker, 27, pleaded guilty to a first-degree felony count of conspiracy to commit drug delivery resulting in death in the March 7, 2018, fatal overdose of Jason Paul Jones.

Parker faces up to a maximum possible sentence of 40 years in state prison at his sentencing June 28 before Erie County Judge Daniel Brabender. Assistant District Attorney Paul Sellers said in court Thursday that the prosecution would not object to a standard-range sentence of four to eight years in state prison as part of Parker’s plea agreement.

Erie County President Judge John J. Trucilla accepted Parker’s plea in court.

Parker pleaded guilty to conspiring with another man, 27-year-old Dustin J. Dingle, to sell fentanyl to Jones on March 6, 2018, at a residence in Corry.

Dingle also faces a charge of drug delivery resulting in death in Jones’ fatal overdose. He is scheduled to face trial later this month.

Parker was also set to face trial this month, but chose to enter his plea instead. His lawyer, Charbel Latouf, said the plea bargain was a fair agreement.

“It’s a fair resolution in light of the circumstances surrounding all parties,” Latouf said after the plea hearing.

Pennsylvania State Police charged that Parker, who is from the Bronx, was staying at Dingle’s residence in Corry to sell drugs in the area, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed with the criminal complaint.

A state police trooper testified at Parker’s preliminary hearing in August that messages between Dingle and Parker showed Dingle said Corry was a prime location to sell drugs because most users in the area had to travel to Erie to purchase drugs.

A witness testified at the preliminary hearing that he and Jones bought drugs from Parker at the Corry residence on March 6, 2018, and that Parker told the men to only use small amounts of the drug because it was “very strong.”

Jones overdosed and died on the early morning of March 7, 2018, at an Oil Creek Township residence in Crawford County. State police said they had found no evidence that would indicate Jones had purchased any other drugs after buying from Parker.

Parker was apprehended in Tobyhanna, Monroe County, south of Scranton, and was brought back to Erie in late July,  state police said. He remains in the Erie County Prison on $750,000 bond.

Madeleine O’Neill can be reached at 870-1728 or by email. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ETNoneill.