By BRETT R. WHITLING
Clarion News writer
A 25-year-old man was arrested at his Pittsburgh home Nov. 13 and charged with selling fentanyl-laced heroin that led to the overdose death of a Clarion man in August.
Dameon Tyrell Arrington is charged with drug delivery resulting in death and conspiracy to deliver a drug resulting in death, both first-degree felonies; involuntary manslaughter and conspiracy to commit involuntary manslaughter, both first-degree misdemeanors; three counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to deliver, both unclassified felonies; two counts of criminal use of communication facility, a third-degree felony; three counts of intent to possess a controlled substance and three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, both unclassified misdemeanors at 8:35 p.m. Aug. 15 in Clarion Borough.
According to court documents, Clarion Borough police officers were dispatched to 94 Merle Road for report of a man in cardiac arrest.
When police arrived, they found 26-year-old Tanner Eisenman deceased on the living room floor with a syringe lying beside his leg.
Clarion Borough Police Officer Neil Kemmer found two marked bundles of heroin in Eisenman’s pocket. The packets allegedly were marked “fat bitch.”
Clarion County Coroner Randall Stom pronounced Eisenman deceased at the residence and had Eisenman’s body was transported to Erie for an autopsy.
On Aug. 16, Clarion Borough Police Chief William Peck IV, who is also coordinator of the Clarion Narcotics Enforcement Team, met with Clarion Borough police officers Roger Wright and Kemmer to review the contents of Eisenman’s phone.
Police found a text log with a contact which was referred to in the police report as “Witness #1” where the two men arranged a heroin and cash transaction.
Police contacted Eisenman’s girlfriend who identified “Witness #1’s” first and last name.
Witness #1 allegedly told police he and Eisenman purchased heroin from a person known to him as “Hatch” and had been purchasing heroin from Hatch for two to three years.
Witness #1 allegedly said he and Eisenman met Hatch while driving around Pittsburgh trying to purchase heroin.
Witness #1 allegedly said Hatch reached out to Eisenman on Aug. 13 asking if he was interested in purchasing heroin.
Eisenman and Witness #1 allegedly drove to Pittsburgh Aug. 14 and purchased $200 worth of heroin from Hatch.
Witness #1 said Eisenman gave him five stamp bags of heroin which he used while they were in Pittsburgh.
Witness #1 allegedly provided police with the following items from his bedroom: two needles; two empty stamp bags, one which was marked as what was found on Eisenman, the other with no markings; aluminum foil marijuana pipe; and five unused needles. He also turned over his cell phone and gave consent for it to be searched.
Witness #1 allegedly described Hatch as a black man in his mid-20s with black short hair.
Peck contacted City of Pittsburgh Police Department Detective Ed Fallert on Aug. 17 who agreed to assist in the investigation and to attempt to make a controlled drug purchase from the suspect.
At 2:07 p.m. Wright was provided with $160 and rode with Witness #1 to purchase heroin from Hatch.
Witness #1 was instructed to drive to Columbo Street and wait to contact Hatch until other law enforcement officers were in place.
According to court documents, Witness #1 had issues connecting with Hatch and locating him.
Police watched Witness #1 allegedly purchase heroin from the two black men. After Witness #1 allegedly handed over the money, he was instructed the heroin was in a plastic bag on the curb in front of an abandoned house.
Witness #1 and Wright left the scene.
During the investigation, police determined the person known as Hatch is Dameon Arrington.
Another controlled purchase of heroin was allegedly made through Arrington on Aug. 22 in the amount of $350.
Peck was able to obtain surveillance footage on Aug. 23 which covered the area of Columbo Street where the purchases were made. The video showed Arrington allegedly leave and return to the residence at 5059 Columbo Street where the two drug purchases were made.
After a search warrant was obtained, the City of Pittsburgh SWAT team executed the search warrant at the residence and secured three adults inside.
City of Pittsburgh narcotics Detectives and Clarion Borough police officers searched the three adults and residence and allegedly found five bricks (250 stamp bags) of heroin.
On Aug. 29, the Erie crime lab reported the liquid in the syringe found near Eisenman and stamp bags of heroin from his pocket contained heroin and two forms of fentanyl.
On Oct. 18, the autopsy report for Eisenman stated, “the opinion is Tanner Eisenman, 26-year-old white male, died as a result of combined drug toxicity involving fentanyl compounds.”
Peck traveled to Pittsburgh Nov. 13, picked up Arrington and brought him to Clarion County for arraignment.
Arrington is being held in the Clarion County Jail in lieu of $250,000 cash bond.