Toledo man sentenced for fatal overdose

PORT CLINTON — A Toledo man was recently sentenced after previously pleading guilty to providing a woman with drugs, which led to her fatal overdose. At a court hearing on Aug. 1, Stephen F. Massey, 34, was convicted on one count of corrupting another with drugs, a second-degree felony, and one count of trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound, a fifth-degree felony. Massey previously pleaded guilty to the two charges at a court hearing on June 3 in exchange for one count of involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, to be dismissed. Ottawa County Common Pleas Court Judge Bruce Winters sentenced Massey to serve eight to 12 years in prison. Under the terms of his sentencing, Massey received credit for about four months served in jail and will additionally be placed on a mandatory term of three years post-release control, according to court records. Background The investigation into Massey first began on Nov. 29, 2022, when an agent from the Ottawa County prosecutor's office responded to a house in Port Clinton for a report of a woman who had suffered an overdose, according to a report from the Ottawa County prosecutor's office. When officers arrived at the scene, they were made aware that the 22-year-old woman had already been transported to an area hospital and was pronounced deceased. Shortly after arriving at the scene, Port Clinton police officers retrieved two cellphones and a plastic baggie that contained a white powdery substance, which was determined to belong to the deceased woman, the report states. Police began speaking with a close family member who consented to a search of the property. During this time, the family member explained to police that the victim was frequently going to Toledo to spend time with a friend but was unable to provide specifics, the report states. The woman suffered a non-fatal overdose during a visit to Toledo, one day before she died, the report states. Massey allegedly provided her with the drugs and was transferred to an area hospital, where she was cleared and released on the same day. Once out of the hospital, the woman allegedly contacted Massey to discuss meeting up to do drugs again. Massey reportedly said that he would make sure to get more drugs for both of them, including crack cocaine, the report states. Following that message, Massey checked in on the woman after she said that she was itchy after taking the fentanyl that Massey bought, the report states. The woman's toxicology test results revealed that she had amphetamines, cocaine, fentanyl, gabapentin, methamphetamine and Narcan present in her blood, the report states.