Man pleads no contest to causing fatal OD

Faced first charge by Pittsburgh police

The first person to be charged by Pittsburgh police with dealing drugs that killed someone pleaded no contest Tuesday to causing an overdose death nearly two years ago after a $110 heroin deal.

Darnell Stephens, 23, of Perry South, admitted to drug delivery resulting in death and delivery of a controlled substance in connection with the March 22, 2017, overdose of Ian Williams, 23, of South Abington, Lackawanna County.

Mr. Stephens is scheduled to be sentenced April 26 by Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Beth A. Lazzara.

Mr. Williams was found dead in a house in the 2400 block of Cobden Street in the South Side Slopes. His cause of death was listed as combined drug toxicity from fentanyl, heroin and alprazolam, according to the criminal complaint against Mr. Stephens.

Text messages on Mr. Williams’ cell phone led police to suspect Mr. Stephens, the complaint said.

Police executed a search warrant on Mr. Stephens on April 6, 2017, as part of the investigation of Mr. Williams’ death. Officers seized heroin, marijuana, a firearm, cash, three cell phones and two holsters from Mr. Stephens, according to the complaint.

He was arrested later that month and charged with a handful of drug and gun counts. He then consented to be interviewed without an attorney and admitted to police that he had sold heroin to Mr. Williams on the night he died, according to the complaint.