Algonquin man charged with supplying heroin to overdose victim

A McHenry County grand jury has indicted a 33-year-old Algonquin man on allegations he provided heroin to man who later died from a fatal overdose while sitting outside a local tavern.

James R. Jurkowski, of the 2100 block of Glacier Court, is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday morning on a charge of drug-induced homicide stemming from the Jan. 12 death of Mark A. Gouge.

Gouge, 37, of Algonquin, was found unresponsive about 10:43 p.m. in a car parked outside a bar on East Algonquin Road, Algonquin Deputy Police Chief Steve Kuzynowski said today. He was rushed to Sherman Hospital in Elgin, where he was pronounced dead.

An investigation later determined that Gouge had died from an overdose of heroin, and the drug had been supplied by Jurkowski, Kuzynowski said.

"By talking with individuals and investigating the circumstances we were able to get this indictment," he said.

The indictment, handed up by a grand jury earlier this month, states Jurkowski "knowingly and unlawfully delivered heroin to Gouge."

A $100,000 arrest warrant was issued along with the indictment, but as of today Jurkowski was being held in the Kane County jail on unrelated charges of retail theft, unlawful possession of a hypodermic syringe and driving with a revoked or suspended license. It was not immediately known if he would be transported Wednesday to McHenry County for his arraignment.

The drug-induced homicide charge is a Class X felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

Court records indicate Jurkowski was sentenced to two, 2-year prison terms in 2007 on charges of retail theft and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.