TWO UNRELATED HEROIN TRAFFICKERS INDICTED FOR PROVIDING HEROIN THAT LED TO ONE FATAL AND ONE NEAR FATAL OVERDOSE

Posted on 10/14/2016

Defendant: Sara E. Eberhard and Rayshon La Carlos Alexander

          Prosecutor Ron O’Brien said, “We will continue to aggressively prosecute drug dealers selling heroin/fentanyl/carfentanil. The drugs they are selling are killing people in Franklin County.  Had EMS not responded by immediately administering Narcan to one of the victims in these cases, we would have had two fatalities instead of one.”  Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced today that the Franklin County Grand Jury has returned two separate and unrelated indictments against Sara E. Eberhard, age 24 and Rayshon La Carlos Alexander, age 37.  Both defendants have been indicted for various drug related counts and Corrupting Another with Drugs. Alexander was also indicted for Involuntary Manslaughter, in connection with the death of  Dominique Gregory.

            On September 27, 2016, Angelique Hawk bought a mixture of Heroin and/or fentanyl from Eberhard, she used the drug, and overdosed shortly thereafter in a McDonalds’ parking lot.  The manager at the McDonalds called the police after the victim’s 8 year-old daughter told them her mother had passed out.  Following Hawk’s overdose, a narcotics search warrant was executed at Eberhard’s residence located at 943 E. 17th Avenue.  Detectives recovered heroin, fentanyl, packaging material, scales, syringes and a large amount of cash.  While executing the warrant, Eberhard attempted to flush evidence down the toilet. 

            On July 10th, 2016, Dominique Gregory purchased carfentanil from Rayshon La Carlos Alexander, used the drugs, and fatally overdosed.  Alexander has previously been indicted for Involuntary Manslaughter for the death of Sean Kuehner as well as 9 counts of Corruption of Another with Drugs for other non-fatal overdoses caused the same day (16CR3934).  All of those overdoses happened within hours of each other and all of the drug trafficking took place in the vicinity surrounding Bishop Hartley High School.

            O’Brien commended the various medics for their immediate life-saving response and assistance, and the Columbus Police for their continued follow up with victims following overdose incidents where their lives have been saved.  Arraignment for both Eberhard and Alexander is set for next Wednesday, October 19th at 1:30 pm in courtroom 2B at 345 S. High Street in downtown Columbus.