PENNSYLVANIA — A 24-year-old Trenton man was arrested Friday on charges that he provided drugs to a Fallsington woman that caused her to die of an overdose.
Terrence L. Ridley, of the first block of Delaware View Avenue, was apprehended in Trenton by members of the Mercer County Narcotics Strike Force on an arrest warrant signed Thursday by Magisterial District Judge Jan Vislosky of Fallsington.
Ridley is charged with drug delivery resulting in death and related felonies and misdemeanors in the March 22 overdose death of Amanda Risko. He is being held in Mercer County, pending extradition.
The victim, 24, died at her home in the 100 block of Taylor Drive. An autopsy determined that she died of drug intoxication from a combination of fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, hydroxyzine and cocaine.
“We’ve prioritized prosecution of drug delivery resulting in death cases here in Bucks County,” District Attorney Matthew D. Weintraub said. “The simple message here is: If you deal drugs, and someone in Bucks County dies as a result, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office will do everything it can to hold you criminally accountable.”
According to a probable cause affidavit, Ridley was identified as the supplier of heroin / fentanyl and crack cocaine that was purchased on March 21 by the victim and a male friend with the assistance of a third person.
The friend, identified in the affidavit as Ronald Filderman, called 911 shortly before 4 p.m. on March 23 to report Risko’s overdose death. Police and paramedics arrived to find Filderman bleeding from self-inflicted cuts to his wrists, the affidavit said.
Filderman later told police that he had given $60 to an acquaintance to buy 10 bags of heroin / fentanyl and $20 worth of crack cocaine, the affidavit said.
After driving to Trenton and buying the drugs, the affidavit said, the acquaintance returned to the victim’s house and delivered the drugs to Filderman, who shared them with Risko.
Filderman told police that he awakened early on March 22 to go to work, and told Risko to only use one of two remaining bags that were stamped with the word “Rolex,” the affidavit said.
Filderman told police that he returned from work that evening to find Risko dead of an overdose, with both of the “Rolex” drug packets empty. According to the affidavit, Filderman first tried unsuccessfully to kill himself with a drug overdose, then awakened the next day and cut his wrists before calling 911.
Several days later, the affidavit said, police interviewed Filderman’s acquaintance, who identified Ridley as the supplier of the lethal drugs, including the packets labeled “Rolex.”
On April 3, police used a cooperating third party to purchase a bundle of drugs in Trenton from Ridley, the affidavit said. As police watched, the person bought ten small wax bags of heroin/fentanyl from Ridley, five of which were stamped “Rolex.”
In addition to drug delivery resulting in death, Ridley is charged with possession with intent to deliver controlled substances, possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia, criminal use of a communication facility, and involuntary manslaughter.
The investigation, which was conducted by the Falls Township Police Department and the Bucks County District Attorney’s Drug Strike Force, is continuing. Additional arrests are expected.
