CHICAGO – A reputed gang member was charged with drug-induced homicide for allegedly selling a fatal batch of fentanyl-laced heroin to a police chief's son, authorities said.
Corey Crump, 35, is accused of selling the tainted heroin to 17-year-old Joseph Krecker and was ordered held on $80,000 bond during a court hearing Thursday.
Fentanyl is a highly powerful synthetic drug that has caused hundreds of deaths in eight states when combined with heroin.
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Krecker, whose father is the deputy chief of the Franklin Park Police Department, was found dead inside his vehicle June 6 a short distance from Crump's home, authorities said.
Police officials said Thursday that they used phone records and witness statements to link Crump — a self-admitted member of the Conservative Vice Lords — to the drugs responsible for Krecker's death.
"He sold to the victim as a supplier, causing (the victim's) death," police Sgt. Charles Daly said.
Crump is the first person in Illinois to face the charge in relation to the use of the fentanyl-laced drug, authorities said. Since last spring, 185 deaths in Cook County have been linked to tainted heroin, 145 of them in Chicago alone, police said.
Jack Krecker said his son first tried heroin in early January and became "a casual weekend user" shortly thereafter. The family became aware of his drug problem in April and he underwent drug treatment.
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