HOUTZDALE – Drug delivery resulting in death charges have been filed against a Houtzdale man in relation to the July death of a Woodward Township resident.
Shawn Michael Soupart, 36, is also charged by state police with misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter.
He was arraigned Tuesday morning and is being held in the Clearfield County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on July 13 police were dispatched to the apartment of the victim who had suffered a drug overdose. Interviews with various others were conducted and it was determined that the drugs were supplied to someone who had gotten them from Soupart known as “Bubbles”.
Police then set up a controlled buy from Soupart with a confidential informant. The informant sent Soupart a text message specifically asking for the same product provided to the victim.
After Soupart reportedly sold the drugs to the informant, Soupart was arrested on drug related charges and a protection from abuse order violation.
In an interview with investigators, he admitted to providing the drugs that caused the victim’s death and selling the same product to the informant the next day.
An autopsy on the victim concluded the cause of death was a Fentanyl overdose, according to the criminal complaint.
Soupart’s preliminary hearing in this case is set for Dec. 21.
Online court documents indicate that he has two other drug cases in the system, both from July 13.
In the first case he is charged with manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, criminal use of communication facility and intentional possession of a controlled substance for the sale of heroin to the informant. He waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Aug. 17 and his bail in that case is $25,000.
Charges of manufacture/delivery/possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia were also waived on Aug. 17 when his bail was reduced for this case to $1,000, monetary.
