Hanover Park man charged in Bartlett teen’s heroin death
A Hanover Park man was charged Friday with supplying the heroin that killed a 15-year-old Bartlett boy last month.
Nolan McMahon, 18, of the 2200 block of Cinema Drive West, appeared in DuPage County bond court on charges of heroin possession and drug-induced homicide.
Authorities said McMahon twice sold heroin to John Dudek in the hours before Dudek, 15, was found dead of an overdose inside his Bartlett home.
McMahon was identified through text messages to the victim and witnesses who saw him packaging heroin before selling it to the teen, Assistant State’s Attorney Audrey Anderson said in bond court.
She said Dudek was pronounced dead the afternoon of July 10 after paramedics were called to his home and found him unresponsive and not breathing. An autopsy determined he died of a heroin overdose.
Anderson said investigators worked with a confidential informant to buy heroin from McMahon on three occasions before searching his home Thursday.
When officers arrived, they found the defendant using drugs, according to prosecutors, who said the home was littered with bags that are used to package heroin and had markings identical to bags of heroin used by the victim. Police also recovered less than 30 grams of heroin.
Anderson said McMahon admitted the items were his but made no further statements to police. She said officers have since obtained a search warrant for his cellphone.
“They’re searching the defendant’s phone right now as we speak,” Anderson told Judge Timothy McJoynt.
McJoynt set bail at $1 million, meaning McMahon would have to post $100,000 to be released in the homicide case.
He also is being held on a $10,000 warrant for failure to appear in court on charges of drunken driving, marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia.
McMahon, whose arraignment is set for Sept. 16, told the judge he lives with an aunt and is “in between” jobs. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison.
The case comes as fatal heroin overdoses have spiked in DuPage. Last month, Coroner Richard Jorgensen reported the county was averaging nearly one fatal overdose a day, with 15 suspected heroin deaths between July 1 and 17.
In a statement, State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and Bartlett Police Chief Kent Williams said McMahon’s arrest was the result of cooperation with the DuPage County Major Crimes Task Force, which includes detectives from Addison, Villa Park, Glen Ellyn and Hanover Park.
“This case is yet another terrible reminder of the extreme danger and the scourge that heroin has become in our community,” Berlin said. “The people who peddle heroin to our young kids are literally killing them.”
Williams added that authorities “will not tolerate drug dealers preying upon our children. We will find you, arrest you, and bring you to justice.”