Pittsburgh man to appear on fatal heroin overdose charge
PITTSBURGH (AP) – A Pittsburgh man will face a federal judge today on charges he supplied painkiller-laced heroin that killed a Pittsburgh man and nearly killed a second last year.
Thirty-year-old Justin Robinson was indicted last month and will appear before a federal magistrate Wednesday.
Pittsburgh police issued a warning after five people overdosed in five hours from a batch of fentanyl-laced heroin April 14. Those overdoses were among 11 over two days that resulted in three deaths, including the victim in Robinson’s case.
Robinson’s attorney, Arnold Bernard, didn’t immediately comment Wednesday.
But he’s previously said that proving the burden of proving Robinson distributed heroin and fentanyl resulting in death is “notoriously high.” The indictment doesn’t specify how Robinson allegedly supplied the drugs to the overdose victim.