KERSEY — Three people in Elk County face felony charges in connection with a 29-year-old man’s drug overdose death in October.
Tricia Ann Joshnick, 32, of St. Marys, is charged with drug delivery resulting in death, a felony in the first degree; the manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver, a felony; possession of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of children, a felony in the third degree, according to a criminal complaint filed at Magisterial District Judge Mark Jacob’s office on Jan. 25.
Maria Lynn Rosenhoover, 23, of Johnsonburg, is charged with drug delivery resulting in death, a felony in the first degree; the manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver and the use/possession of drug paraphernalia.
Amanda Holly Chittester, 41, of Johnsonburg, is also charged with drug delivery resulting in death, a felony in the first degree; the manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver and the use/possession of drug paraphernalia.
State police in Ridgway received a report of a 29-year-old Kersey man who had possibly overdosed on suspected drugs at a Main Street residence in Fox Township on Oct. 21. The deceased man was found in the upstairs bathroom of the residence by his brother, according to the affidavit of probable cause, where police also seized items of drug paraphernalia and packaging.
The brother told police that he allegedly found drug items under his brother’s body, and placed them on the kitchen table, which included burnt foil with residue and a pen tube smoking device.
Police checked the deceased man’s cell phone. While viewing the cell phone, a Facebook message between the man and Joshnick allegedly appeared. A forensic investigation was conducted by a local detective the following day, in which several messages between the man and Joshnick appeared to show the two negotiating the purchase/sale of controlled substances, namely heroin, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
The two were reportedly messaging each other prior to the 911 call.
On Oct. 22, a series of search warrants were obtained based on the cell phone evidence, as well as an interview taking place at the St. Marys Police Department. Officers executed a search warrant for the residence of Chittester on Cobb Street in Johnsonburg, where several items were seized, including cell phones and alleged controlled substances, heroin/fentanyl and methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and some money, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
Interviews with Joshnick, Rosenhoover and Chittester took place at the St. Marys PD. As a result, police said they found Joshnick was messaging with the man via Facebook messenger on Oct. 21 and reportedly sold heroin/fentanyl to him for $110. She allegedly obtained this heroin/fentanyl from Rosenhoover.
Rosenhoover allegedly obtained the heroin/fentanyl from Chittester at her Johnsonburg residence, then provided it to Joshnick, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
A short time later, Joshnick allegedly retained some of the heroin/fentanyl for herself, and then traveled to the Fox Township man’s residence and provided him with the drugs for $110, according to the affidavit of probable cause. Police learned that Joshnick’s 11-year-old child was allegedly present for both transactions.
All three suspects’ cell phones were forensically extracted, which allegedly provided evidence of criminal actively and distribution of controlled substances.
The deceased’s autopsy report concluded that he reportedly died from multiple drug intoxication (methamphetamine/fentanyl). The lab report from Pennsylvania State Police’s crime lab indicated that the drugs in his body were found to be positive for the presence of fentanyl, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
Chittester and Rosenhoover are confined in the Elk County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail. Their preliminary hearings are set for Feb. 1 at Jacob’s office.
A preliminary hearing has not yet been set for Joshnick, according to court documents.
