Waukegan man pleads not guilty to drug-induced homicide charge

A Waukegan man pleaded not guilty Tuesday to allegations he sold a combination of heroin and fentanyl to a Mundelein man who later died from an overdose.

Darryl Henderson, 28, faces up to 30 years in prison if found guilty of a drug-induced homicide charge stemming from the Sept. 16 death of 22-year-old Ryan Fisher.

The charge is in addition to several others lodged against Henderson in connection with the investigation into Fisher's death. In October, he pleaded not guilty to felony counts of armed violence, unlawful possession of heroin with intent to deliver, possession of a stolen firearm, unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number.

If found guilty on the most serious of those charges, he also could receive up to 30 years in prison, officials said.

Assistant Lake County State's Attorney Don Tyer said Fisher and a second person took an Uber to Waukegan on Sept. 16 to buy heroin from Henderson. During the transaction, Fisher gave an article of clothing to Henderson when the Waukegan man said he liked it, Tyer said.

Later that evening, Fisher was discovered unconscious in his Mundelein apartment, Tyer said. Police attempted to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville later that day.

Tyer said an autopsy showed Fisher had a combination of heroin and fentanyl in his system at the time of his death.

Police obtained a search warrant for Henderson's home, where officers confiscated drugs, a stolen Glock handgun with the serial number scratched off, and the article of clothing from Fisher, authorities say.

Henderson has remained in Lake County jail on $200,000 bail since his Sept. 20 arrest. He is due back in court Feb. 1.