Maryland man sentenced for supplying drugs to friend who overdosed and died
A Harford County man will spend 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to supplying drugs to a friend, who overdosed and died in 2023.
Kusan Hines, 43, from Havre De Grace, was handed a 30-year prison sentence with all but 12 suspended, followed by five years of probation, for second-degree murder and distribution of controlled substances.
Harford County State's Attorney Alison Healy said an autopsy performed on the 33-year-old victim showed he died of cocaine and fentanyl intoxication.
"Here in Harford County, we are taking a more aggressive approach to these fatal overdoses and the people who are distributing those drugs, in terms of sentencing," Healy said.
Setting a precedence
State's Attorney Healey said Hines' sentence is one of the first in the state that a drug dealer has been sentenced for murder. She hopes this sends a message to future drug distributors.
"We actually don't want to prosecute these cases," Healey said. "Instead, we would like to see these convictions stop people from committing these crimes, to lessen the drug dealing on the streets."
Residents agree with murder charge
Harford County residents agree that a murder charge was appropriate in this case.
"Certainly, if you're a drug dealer and you're selling drugs that are causing people to overdose, then you need to be held accountable," said Harford County resident Stephanie Dietz.
"The poison, we have to get rid of it," said Harford County resident Michael Murphy." So he must pay the consequences. He's the cause of it."
Substance abuse help
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 108,000 people in the United States died from drug-related overdoses in 2022
The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics says the deadliest drugs in the United States are opioids, which includes fentanyl.
"I definitely think the person taking the drug has some accountability, but in today's day, there are drugs mixed in that can cause fatalities that the person taking it may not even be aware of," added Harford County resident Dawn Fisher.
"Most of the time, they have a problem," Harford County resident Gary Clark said. "They have a disease they're suffering from that they need help with."
If you need help with addiction or substance abuse, call the National Drug Helpline at (844) 289-0879. If you live in Baltimore County, resources are available here or here in Baltimore City.
