Authorities say dealer sold drugs to 24-year-old who died of overdose

    A Milwaukee man has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide for allegedly selling heroin to a 24-year-old Grafton man who overdosed on the drug and died.

    Bail for Joshua Gray was set at $75,000 by Judge Tom Wolfgram on Monday.

    The charges were the result of a joint investigation by the Grafton Police Department and Ozaukee County Drug Task Force initiated after the body of Riley Knapp was found in his Grafton home just before noon Thursday, Jan. 3.

    An autopsy confirmed the cause of death was a drug overdose, the criminal complaint states.

    According to the complaint, police investigating the death found a variety of drug paraphernalia in Knapp’s room, including a hypodermic needle on his dresser, a plastic bag containing what was believed to be heroin and a Mason jar with what was suspected to be marijuana, pill bottles and an empty box of Suboxone, which is used to treat opiate addiction.

    Text messages on Knapp’s cell phone led Ozaukee County investigators to Gray, according to the complaint.

    Between Dec. 31 and Jan. 2, Knapp repeatedly contacted Gray via text messages to arrange for drug buys, according to the complaint.

    Knapp sent text messages saying he needed “the pure” and telling the dealer “if its (sic) really good, i’ll get a lot,” the complaint states.

    Officials determined that Knapp purchased heroin on Dec. 31 and Jan. 2, when he bought $80 worth of the drug, the complaint states.

    Undercover officers contacted Gray on Jan. 4 and arranged to meet him, arresting him in Milwaukee, according to the sheriff’s department.

    The Milwaukee Metropolitan Drug Unit also took part in the arrest, according to the sheriff’s department.

    Gray allegedly told a deputy that he had sold Knapp heroin four or five times during the previous month and as recently as Dec. 31, the complaint states. He said Knapp asked for a specific type of heroin, and that he sold Knapp two bags of the drug, one for $100 and the other for $50, between Dec. 31 and Jan. 3.

    Gray will make his next court appearance before Wolfgram for a hearing Friday, Jan. 11.

Image Information: Joshua Gray

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed