Woman’s Fentanyl Overdose Leads to Drug Charges Against Ferguson Township Man

A Ferguson Township man is facing charges after a woman overdosed on fentanyl that he allegedly sold to her.

The 29-year-old woman was struggling to breathe and unresponsive when state police at Rockview and EMS arrived at her Spring Township home on Oct. 25, according to an affidavit of probable cause. EMS personnel revived her using naloxone and she was taken to the hospital, where “life sustaining measures were performed,” police wrote. After being revived, she told police she had taken fentanyl.

A search of the woman’s phone revealed text messages in which she arranged to purchase fentanyl from a man later identified as Brett D. Oliphant, 23, according to the affidavit.

Oliphant allegedly wrote that the fentanyl was “wayyy stronger,” warning the woman to “plz be careful,” and take only a quarter of a pill.

“I’m not tryna kill nobody,” he wrote, according to the affidavit.

Police executed a search warrant on Saturday at Oliphant’s Ferguson Township residence and allegedly found several blue fentanyl pills matching a description provided by the woman. During an interview with a state trooper, Oliphant admitted to buying fentanyl pills on the dark web and selling them to at least four people, including the woman who overdosed, according to the affidavit.

He is charged with felony counts of possession with intent and criminal use of a communication facility and misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Oliphant was arraigned on Saturday by District Judge Gregory Koehle and did not post $100,000 bail. He is currently detained at the Centre County Correctional Facility.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 8.