Displaying items by tag: dealers

When it comes to the heroin epidemic, there are a number of different ways treatment organizations, law enforcement and city leaders are working to tackle the issue. The court system is no different.

"The only way to get these very dangerous and deadly drugs off the streets is to lock up the supplier," said Margaret Scott, deputy chief of the criminal division at the Summit County Prosecutor's Office.

So far this year, 11 people have been charged with manslaughter in connection with heroin overdose deaths in the area.

"These drug dealers, they know exactly what they're doing," said Scott. "They are selling these drugs to people who they know physically have an addiction, and have to have it and feel they have to have it, they're taking their money and they know that it's likely that they will die."

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"Within the past three years, we started to see an increase in actually charging the trafficker with a homicide, and hopefully getting them locked up for a long enough time to keep the product off the streets."

Scott said there are also court programs in place to help connect those battling an addiction with local treatment centers.