The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office charged a Sarasota man with Manslaughter after he knowingly provided a man with fentanyl, an opioid derivative, which later contributed to his death.

Deputies responded to a home in the 3200 block of Bougainvillea Street in Sarasota on May 11, 2018, for the report of a deceased person in the driveway. Through investigation, detectives recovered text messages on the victim’s phone from Joseph Jones, DOB 10/18/96, indicating Jones was supplying the victim with drugs. Text messages revealed Jones knew the potency of the drugs, calling them “deadly.” On May 11, Jones met the victim and provided him heroin which later led to his fatal overdose. A report from the 12th District Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the victim died as a result of intoxication of fentanyl.

Jones was arrested Thursday and charged with a single count of Manslaughter and Sale of Fentanyl. He remains in custody at the Sarasota County Jail today without bond.