Suspect pleads guilty to supplying fentanyl that killed Peters Township man
An Allegheny County man pleaded guilty Monday to supplying a deadly batch of fentanyl to a Peters Township man who overdosed and died nearly three years ago.
William Dewayne Hockett, 25, of North Braddock, appeared in the Washington County Courthouse before Judge Traci McDonald and pleaded guilty to felony drug delivery resulting in death and misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance.
McDonald immediately sentenced Hockett to serve three to six years in prison as part of the plea deal his attorney, Peter Marcoline III, negotiated with prosecutors.
Hockett sold fentanyl-laced heroin to 21-year-old Vincent Michael “Vinny” Knight, who was found dead Aug. 28, 2023, inside the bathroom of his home in the 100 block of Windermere Court in Peters Township, according to court documents.
Township police said they found empty stamp bags of suspected heroin near Knight’s body and toxicology tests showed he had fentanyl in his system.
Hockett was charged in October 2023 and arrested the following month. He was held at the Washington County jail for about six weeks before he was released on $25,000 cash bond, so he will be given some credit for time served.