WILLIAMSPORT - A Philadelphia man has been charged with causing the death of another by providing him heroin and fentanyl.
Tarron Anthony Dennis, 23, of Philadelphia and Warren Jahleel Johnson, 26, were indicted Thursday by a U.S. Middle District grand jury on drug charges.
One of the charges against Dennis is that he provided the heroin and fentanyl that killed a man identified as JB on Dec. 19.
The indictment against both men covers the period from last December through Aug. 3 and includes the period in late June when there was a rash of heroin overdoses in Lycoming County. They are not charged with causing the deaths that occurred during that period.
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Johnson previously was charged by local police with distribution and possession of heroin related to a sale he is alleged to have made June 21 to an undercover agent.
The two are accused of traveling from Philadelphia to the Williamsport area to distribute heroin.
They stored, processed it, kept materials for packaging, cash and documents in various residences and used multiple cellphones to facilitate the distribution, the charges allege.
Johnson and Dennis are accused of sending mass text messages to multiple drug customers concerning the availability of heroin and other drugs.
"This is great news," Lycoming County Coroner Charles E. Kiessling Jr., said about the indictment.
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"We have to start making examples of drug dealers, letting it be known this not going to continue in our communities."
Dennis and Johnson each is charged with conspiracy, distribution and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. Only Dennis' distribution count alleges he caused a death.
If convicted, he's facing a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 20 years and a maximum of life. Johnson is facing a five-year mandatory minimum and a maximum of 40 years.
Both men have been detained without bail.
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