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York man charged with selling heroin to victim of fatal overdose in March

YORK — A 34-year-old York man is accused of delivering the heroin that resulted in an overdose death in March, according to police. Jose Miguel Morales II...
jose morales

YORK — A 34-year-old York man is accused of delivering the heroin that resulted in an overdose death in March, according to police.

Jose Miguel Morales III, of the 1000 block of E. Poplar Street, is charged with drug delivery resulting in death, criminal use of a communication facility, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, and involuntary manslaughter. Police say he sold heroin to Derek Mount, who died of an overdose on March 18.

According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to Mount’s home on the 300 block of Norhurst Road at 5:17 a.m. on March 18. They found Mount dead of an apparent overdose. A search of the scene produced an empty yellow glassine baggie, commonly used to package narcotics. Police seized two cell phones belonging to Mount, the criminal complaint states.

Mount’s family members told police that Mount was acquainted with a subject they knew as “Julio.” Police searched Facebook and found a profile under the name “Julio Nieves Camacho,” but recognized the profile picture as a photo of Jose Morales III, a.k.a. “King Chance.”

Morales was known to police as a drug dealer, according to the criminal complaint.

After speaking to witnesses, police traced Mount’s movements to an apartment on the 600 block of W. King Street on March 17. A witness told police Mount was seen walking toward the apartment, and later appeared to be under the influence of narcotics when he was driven back to his residence, according to the criminal complaint.

The landlord at the apartment told police that Morales and a girlfriend had been staying at the apartment at the time, the criminal complaint says.

A search of the cell phones seized at the scene revealed a series of messages between Mount and “Julio” referring to the sale and purchase of heroin and Fentanyl.

An autopsy on Mount performed in April revealed he died of Fentanyl toxicity, police say.

In August, police found out Morales was in custody on another drug offense. Detectives interviewed Morales, who admitted he and Mount were friends who occasionally used heroin and Fentanyl together, according to the criminal complaint. Morales admitted he sold heroin and Fentanyl to Mount in the past, and that he provided the drugs to Mount to prevent him from becoming sick.

Morales admitted he changed his cell phone number after Mount’s death in an effort to avoid being connected to the death, according to police.

Police say Morales provided a written statement admitting he was buying heroin and Fentanyl exclusively for Mount.

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