Warren man charged with drug offenses

Staff report

WARREN

A city man pleaded not guilty in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court to nine drug charges that investigators say surfaced while they investigated the drug-overdose death of a Champion woman.

Rafael L. Patterson, 26, who listed addresses on Laurelwood Drive and Roberts Lane, appeared in court Monday and later was released from the county jail after posting $10,000 bond.

The charges are four counts of heroin trafficking, three counts of cocaine trafficking and single counts of heroin possession and cocaine possession.

Capt. Jeff Orr, commander of the Trumbull Ashtabula Group Law Enforcement Task Force, said TAG carried out an investigation after the April 10, 2015, death of Megan Fitzgerald, 24.

It led to Maurice L. Bryant, 28, of Shady Lane in Howland, pleading guilty Jan. 28 to involuntary manslaughter, corrupting another with drugs and two drug-trafficking offenses for giving the fatal dose of drugs to Fitzgerald.

Bryant will be sentenced April 7 and could get 20 years in prison.

The investigation also led to Patterson’s secret indictment and arrest Monday.

Orr said an the investigation showed that Patterson sold drugs to Bryant. When police executed a search warrant at Patterson’s home on Roberts Lane, he had $17,434 in cash, which was seized.

The indictment says Patterson, known as “Rico,” committed the crimes in October and November 2015, in some cases near a school.

Patterson’s indictment includes a specification calling for him to forfeit the cash and a 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.