Woman accepts plea deal in overdose death case

PORT CLINTON — A woman accused of helping a Port Clinton man inject the heroin that led to his death recently accepted a plea deal.Jordyn Beckhusen, 24, originally pleaded not guilty to charges of corrupting another with drugs, involuntary manslaughter, and two counts of evidence tampering.She appeared in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court Thursday for a plea change hearing.She pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and attempted corrupting another with drugs. In exchange for her plea, the prosecution dismissed the other charges, according to court documents.The court scheduled her sentencing for May 18. She could face a maximum prison sentence of six years. She's held in the county jail.The charges originated from the overdose death of Harold Carter, 47, in April 2016.By the time police responded to his home that day, Carter was already dead. They found Beckhusen and James Bell, 41, of Fremont, at his house.Authorities suspected Bell moved Carter's body to his backyard and charged with evidence tampering, intimidation of a witness and drug trafficking among other offenses.Bell accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty to evidence tampering and drug possession in exchange for the dismissal of the other charges. He was sentenced last April to two years and six months in prison.After Bell's arrest, police continued the investigation because they noticed inconsistencies in Beckhusen's statements.Authorities believed Beckhusen sold the heroin to Carter that caused him to overdose, Ottawa County prosecutor James VanEerten told the Register.They also alleged he needed her help to inject the drugs because of a cast on his arm.An Ottawa County grand jury indicted Beckhusen in April 2017.Reach reporter Michael Harrington at michaelharrington@sanduskyregister.com, follow the Register at Facebook.com/SanduskyRegisterBeckhusen