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WEST CHICAGO - A Skokie man accused of supplying a fatal dose of fentanyl to a West Chicago woman has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, prosecutors said.
What we know:
Benjamin Adrien, 31, pleaded guilty Oct. 6 to one count of drug-induced homicide, a Class X felony, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. He was sentenced Friday.
Benjamin Adrien, 31, of Skokie. (DuPage County State's Attorney's Office)
Adrien first appeared in court Aug. 4, 2023, when his bond was set at $1.5 million, with 10% to apply.
On Oct. 23, 2023, the court denied the state’s motion to detain Adrien under Illinois’ SAFE-T Act, and he was released on GPS electronic monitoring, prosecutors said.
The backstory:
DuPage County sheriff’s deputies responded Aug. 16, 2023, to an unincorporated area near West Chicago for a report of a drug overdose.
The woman was taken to a hospital and later died. The DuPage County coroner determined her cause of death was multiple drug intoxication, including fentanyl.
A subsequent investigation identified Adrien as the person who supplied the drugs, according to prosecutors.
What they're saying:
"Judge Bugos’ sentence today sends a strong message of deterrence that if you are found guilty of supplying illegal drugs that result in the death of another person, you will face a significant amount of time behind bars," DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said. "While we have made progress in reducing drug overdose deaths, this young woman’s tragic death is another stark reminder that we must remain vigilant in preventing these heartbreaks. I thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Adam Frahm, Denis Cahill and Philip Ungar for their work not only on this case but for their continued efforts in getting illegal narcotics off our streets."
What's next:
Adrien must serve 75% of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by the DuPage County State's Attorney.