Charges relating to the overdose death of a Bradford woman last year have been added to the criminal case against Rochester, N.Y., man Brady Pysadee.
Pysadee, 26, of 35 Virginia Ave., was arraigned Sept. 29 on charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, a felony, and possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor. On Monday, McKean County District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer added additional charges — drug delivery resulting in death, a first-degree felony; involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree misdemeanor; recklessly endangering another person, a first-degree misdemeanor; and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, a felony.
According to the criminal complaint, Pysadee had sold cocaine to Mercedes Simonds, who overdosed and died June 17, 2021, from a mix of cocaine and fentanyl, the complaint stated.
At 6:01 a.m. June 17, 2021, Bradford City Police responded to 420 East Main St., rear apartment, for an overdose victim — Simonds — in cardiac arrest. When police arrived on scene, a male was performing CPR on Simonds on the living room floor. City of Bradford ambulance arrived on scene and medics took over CPR before transporting Simonds to Bradford Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, according to the criminal complaint.
The male told police that Simonds “did a line with some Brady kid” on the 16th, and that she believed it was heroin. He told police that he and Simonds went to a few bars, and she had left to meet with Brady Pysadee. When she returned, she was sweating heavily. She had a drink of water, and then she kept falling asleep. He said she went to the bathroom and threw up several times, told him she was tired and wanted to go back to his apartment to sleep, the complaint stated.
The male said he checked on her several times throughout the night. In the early morning hours, he heard her in obvious distress, called 911 and started CPR, according to the complaint.
When medics were working on Simonds, one approached an officer and gave him a baggie containing white powder residue, stating it was “located in the victim’s bra,” the complaint read.
Police had Simonds’ cell phone, and were able to observe messages between her and Pysadee about buying drugs. After the first encounter, there was a message from her to Pysadee stating, “Yo that sh-t was good” and to save her some. He said he would, that he was sorry he couldn’t let her try more, and “that it was not a huge amount to get her ‘super zooted.’” He told Simonds that he was getting “super good reviews on it since he got back to town,” the complaint stated.
The two arranged a drug buy on Welch Avenue, of which police obtained surveillance footage.
Police spoke to the husband of Simonds, who said Pysadee had wanted her to sell cocaine for him, and he knew the two had been in contact in the past on Snapchat, the complaint alleged.
A police officer called Pysadee, who said he had been in town on the 16th and was in contact with Simonds in regard to her wanting some cocaine. He said he went to her residence, bringing cocaine with him, and had her try some. Pysadee said Simonds told him she had a male lined up who she was going to sell the cocaine to. He told police that he had pulled up on Welch Avenue, Simonds got in his vehicle, then went back to her friend’s vehicle to get the money and then returned to his vehicle. However, he said he did not provide her with any cocaine, the complaint stated.
The baggie found on Simonds was tested and identified as .16 grams of cocaine. Police obtained the autopsy report and it showed cocaine and fentanyl in Simonds’ blood, the complaint alleged.
Pysadee was arraigned Sept. 29 before District Judge Dom Cercone on the drug charges, and is free on $10,000 monetary bail.
He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. today before Cercone.
He is represented by Olean, N.Y., attorney Jay Carr.
