CLEARFIELD – A Houtzdale man facing a felony charge in connection with a drug death pleaded guilty to lesser charges Friday during plea and sentencing court.
Shawn Michael Soupart, 37, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced by Judge Paul E. Cherry to six months to three years in state prison.
Originally, he was also charged with felony drug delivery resulting in death.
Soupart was also sentenced on two other cases: he received an additional period of six months to seven years for felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance-heroin and one year probation for possession of drug paraphernalia.
Cherry gave him to a total of one year to 10 years in state prison.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on July 13, 2022 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.