RIDGWAY — Two women have been charged in Elk County in the fentanyl overdose death of 24-year-old Kaitlyn Buerk last March — thought to be the first time in the county’s history for charges of drug delivery resulting in death.
Allison Louise Miller, 29, of 115 Kennedy St., Byrnedale, and Theresa Lynn Sample, 27, of 513 Mill St., Johnsonburg — Buerk’s sister and cousin, respectively — are both jailed on charges relating to Buerk’s March 29 death.
Elk County District Attorney Shawn McMahon, along with Capt. Bernard Petrovsky and Trooper Bruce Morris from Troop C of the state police, held a press conference Wednesday at the county courthouse annex to announce the charges and explain the seriousness of the drug epidemic in the county.
“These cases that have been filed show what high stakes we’re dealing with,” McMahon said, “that a first-time user can expose themselves to death and they may not even know it.”
According to the criminal complaints in the cases, Miller had traveled to Pittsburgh on March 29 and allegedly bought 20 bags of heroin. Five “suspected heroin stamp bags” were found underneath Buerk’s body at her Wilcox home, along with drug paraphernalia, the complaints read.
McMahon said the drug was purported to be heroin, but was found to be straight fentanyl, which is stronger and more lethal than heroin.
“These stamp bags for the most part in Elk County are acquired in Allegheny County … Pittsburgh,” he said.
He explained dealers often cut the heroin with fentanyl to make it stronger and create more of a demand for their particular product, or they might cut it with household items, like baking soda, to make their supply of the drug last longer.
“There’s no signs to what that cutting is. The quantity of heroin you’re getting when you’re buying it off the street, there’s no telling if it does contain fentanyl,” McMahon explained. “You may not know what the amount is and it might be lethal.
“It’s almost a game of Russian roulette,” he said. “It’s high stakes if you want to even think about using controlled substances off the street.”
Petrovsky explained, in the counties Troop C covers — Elk, McKean, Clarion, Clearfield, Jefferson and Forest — the number of overdose deaths has been rising for the past six years.
In 2012, there were four or five, he said, “and that was pretty normal for the preceding 10 years.” They soon began to see the numbers rise.
“The following year we had 12,” Petrovsky said. “The year after we had 27. Two years ago, we were up to 48.”
The number is leveling off, but it’s still too high, he said. “We’re in the 40s. This year is no different. In the first couple months of the year, we still have people dying from overdoses. It’s something we have taken very seriously.”
McMahon talked about the cost of the opioid epidemic, not only to the user and his or her family, but also to the community and the taxpayers.
“This opiate epidemic presents issues that the entire community is confronted with,” the prosecutor said. “The cost to the taxpayers is enormous. The criminal justice system, not only in Elk County, but nationwide, is confronted with trying to address this issue with limited resources.“
McMahon and Petrovsky reiterated their commitment to aggressively pursue drug cases. And McMahon asked that people encourage anyone they know who has a drug problem to get help now, instead of waiting until it becomes a criminal matter or worse.
“Encourage them to make the decision that they want to live a better lifestyle and get help,” he said, “not when the court makes them, but now, when it can prevent problems.”
