A Lafayette man is facing a high-level felony case in Miami County after police say a drug deal in Peru led to a deadly overdose. Local authorities say the suspect is now staring down state charges that tie the drug sale directly to the death.
Arrest and charges
Thirty-six-year-old Stephen R. Baber of Lafayette was arrested in Peru and charged with dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death, police told Pharos-Tribune. Investigators allege Baber sold heroin to a man who later died of an overdose, and he also faces additional counts of dealing cocaine, according to the report. Officers took Baber into custody in Peru and submitted charging documents to prosecutors, the outlet reported.
Dealing resulting in death under Indiana law
Indiana's "dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death" statute creates a separate offense that prosecutors can use when the drug a defendant is accused of providing is shown to have caused a user's death. The law sets up different felony levels depending on the type of controlled substance involved, according to FindLaw.
Possible penalties
If convicted of a Level 1 offense, a defendant faces a lengthy prison term under Indiana's sentencing code. Level 1 felonies carry a sentencing range of roughly 20 to 40 years, with an advisory sentence near 30 years, plus potential fines. The same statute outlines sentencing ranges for Level 1 through Level 6 felonies, according to Law.justia.
Where this fits locally
Overdose deaths remain a public health priority in Indiana. The state maintains county-level overdose data dashboards along with naloxone distribution programs that aim to help communities respond. Local officials and health providers use those tools to track trends and direct prevention and response efforts, according to the Indiana Department of Health.
What happens next
Baber is expected to appear in Miami County court for initial proceedings while prosecutors review the case and await toxicology results, the reporting notes. Police arrested him in Peru, and booking and jail operations in the county are handled by the Miami County Sheriff's Office at 1104 W. 200 N., according to the Miami County Sheriff's Office.
