Man sentenced for providing heroin that caused overdose

A Chicago man will spend the next 20 months in jail when he is not in drug treatment or working after he admitted Wednesday to providing the heroin that killed a Highland Park man last year.

Steven Rosellini, 20, pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of heroin during a hearing before Lake County Associate Judge George Bridges.

Assistant State’s Attorney Matthew Demartini said Dylan Hadley, 20, of the 1400 block of Ridge Road in Highland Park, called Maxwell Powell, 21, of Chicago last Oct. 3 and asked Powell for some heroin.

Demartini said Powell told Hadley he did not have any heroin, but he believed Rosellini could get some and then drove Rosellini to Hadley’s house.

The three followed Rosellini’s directions to a location on Fullerton Avenue in Chicago, Demartini said, where Rosellini took $100 from Hadley and got out of the car.

Rosellini returned with five small bags of heroin, Demartini said, and gave four of them to Powell as they drove back to Powell’s residence.

About 5:30 p.m. the following day, Hadley’s mother called 911 after finding her son unconscious in his bedroom.

Hadley died at the scene, Demartini said, and an autopsy later determined the cause of death was a heroin overdose.

Police interviewed Powell later on the day of Hadley’s death, Demartini said, and he led them to Rosellini.

Both were originally charged with drug-induced homicide, a felony requiring a prison sentence of six to 30 years upon conviction.

But Demartini said he agreed to reduce the charge against Rosellini in exchange for his guilty plea and a promise to testify truthfully against Powell.

Powell has pleaded not guilty and is due to appear in court May 9.

In addition to the jail time, Bridges ordered Rosellini to serve three years on probation and perform 150 hours of public service.