Cops say his drugs killed someone. Sarasota man charged with manslaughter

A Sarasota man is charged with manslaughter after police detectives say he provided drugs that resulted in an overdose death.

Ricky Turner, Jr., 36, also faces several other charges related to the sale of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid.

Detectives began investigating after an overdose death occurred on March 7, according to Sarasota Police Department. The person, who police did not identify, was found dead in an apartment building. A toxicology report and a doctor’s analysis later confirmed that the individual had died from a fentanyl overdose, police said.

An investigation revealed that Turner had been communicating with the victim for several months and sold the person narcotics. Undercover detectives then purchased fentanyl from Turner on three separate occasions for a total of 2.3 grams of the substance.

Turner was arrested on Wednesday in the parking lot of a hotel in the 1800 block of the Tamiami Trail, according to police. In addition to manslaughter, he is charged with three counts of the sale of narcotics, three counts of using a two-way communication device to facilitate a felony and three counts of driving with a suspended license.

As of Thursday, he was held at the Sarasota County Jail on bonds totaling $61,860. Turner’s arraignment is set for Aug. 27, according to jail records.

“People may think that drug crimes are a victimless crime but that isn’t the case,” said police Lt. Jeff Steiner in a news release. “Families are affected. Our community is affected. We take each overdose case we investigate seriously.”