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Three accused in girl’s overdose pleaded not guilty
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Ruben Best, 20, left, and Gary Hartman, 24, bow their heads Tuesday to avoid the media attention at their arraignments in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. Best and Hartman are accused of supplying the drugs that killed 18-year-old Erin Trell of Boardman. Marijo Mazon, 46, of Boardman is accused of giving Trell and a juvenile the drugs.
By Kalea Hall
Youngstown
Nearly five months after her death, three people were charged and pleaded not guilty in connection with a teenager’s drug overdose. Erin Trell, 18, of Boardman, died Sept. 30, a few days after she took a lethal combination of drugs including marijuana, Xanax and cocaine.
Ruben Best, 20, of Warren and Gary Hartman, 24, of Boardman, are accused of supplying the drugs that killed Trell. Marijo Mazon, 46, of Boardman is accused of giving Trell and a juvenile the drugs.
All three appeared in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday for their arraignments.
Best pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter, tampering with evidence, trafficking in drugs and trafficking in drugs containing cocaine.
He asked Magistrate Judge Timothy G. Welsh for a court-appointed lawyer. Upon recommendation from the prosecution, Judge Welsh gave Best a $125,000 cash or surety bond. The prosecution told the court Best tried to prevent law enforcement’s investigation.
Hartman pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter, corrupting another with drugs and two counts of trafficking in drugs. He also asked the judge for a lawyer, and his bond was set at $125,000.
Mazon pleaded not guilty to trafficking in drugs and corrupting another with drugs.
The three were secretly indicted by a grand jury Thursday and arrested Friday.
The investigation that led to the indictments was a collaborative effort by the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department and Boardman police.
Best and Hartman have no prior criminal charges.
Mazon, however, was charged in October with trafficking drugs in Boardman. She received a 180-day jail sentence with 130 days suspended.
In addition, she was charged with two counts of trafficking drugs in December.
She pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of possession of dangerous drugs. Court records show she was given a suspended sentence, probation and community service.