McHenry man sold fatal dose of heroin, police say

A McHenry man already in prison on a felony drug conviction could be forced to extend his stay behind bars after authorities filed new a charge this month alleging he sold heroin to a man who later fatally overdosed on the drug.

Erik C. Strickland, 30, formerly of the 5300 block of Woodland, faces a charge of drug-induced homicide in connection with the Feb. 7 death of 33-year-old McHenry resident Gregory C. Lehman.

Lehman, of the 3900 block of Main Street, was found unresponsive inside his home that night by friends, and efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful, McHenry police Det. Brian Aalto said. His death was later determined to be a result of a heroin overdose.

Starting by tracing back calls made on Lehman's cell phone and later speaking with witnesses, Aalto said, investigators found evidence Strickland had been selling heroin to Lehman, the latest transaction occurring a short time before the overdose.

"The investigation determined he was the usual dealer for Mr. Lehman," Aalto said.

Strickland currently is in the downstate Centralia Correctional Center serving a 6-year sentence for his April conviction on a charge of unlawful possession of heroin with intent to deliver. The charge stemmed from Strickland's arrest on allegations he sold heroin to a woman about three weeks after Lehman's death.

McHenry County court records show he previously was sentenced to a 3-year term in 2004 on a felony cocaine charge, and another 3-year term in 2001 for aggravated battery. That conviction stemmed from an incident in which, court records state, Strickland pepper sprayed an employee at the Crystal Lake Home Depot store who was trying to stop him from shoplifting.

The new charge is a Class X felony normally punishable by six to 30 years in prison, but the term could be extended depending on the amount of heroin sold or Strickland's criminal record.