A 34-year-old man faces felony drug charges after Bismarck police say they found evidence that a man who died of a fentanyl overdose bought the drug from him.
Jake Newick, of Bismarck, is charged with possession with the intent to deliver fentanyl. The Class A felony could send him to prison for 20 years if he’s convicted. He’s also charged with felony possession of drug paraphernalia.
Police on Sunday responded to a call of an unattended death at a Bismarck residence. The deceased man's cellphone contained information that indicated Newick was the seller of the fentanyl, authorities said.
Newick had 374 grams of fentanyl – 3,740 individual doses – and a digital scale in his possession when police arrested him. One-tenth of a gram of fentanyl sells for $50 to $60 on the street, said Bismarck Police Lt. Luke Gardiner.
Newick made his initial court appearance on Tuesday. Court records don’t list an attorney for him. It’s unclear if Newick could be charged further in connection with the man's death. The case is still under investigation, Gardiner said.
Jake Newick
