Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 55-year-old Jon Herrle of the Town of Tonawanda has pleaded guilty before Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio to Manslaughter in the Second Degree, the highest charge in the indictment. 

On September 25, 2016, the defendant gave an extremely intoxicated female companion crushed opiate pills, telling the woman it was cocaine. The woman snorted the powder, overdosed and died. 

This is the first opiate-related homicide conviction under DA Flynn. 

“My Office remains committed to addressing the rising number of opiate overdose deaths by holding those accountable who supply the deadly drug,” says DA Flynn.“Drug dealers will be aggressively prosecuted and sent to prison.” 

Herrle faces a maximum of four years in prison when he is sentenced by Judge DiTullio on January 18, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. 

DA Flynn commends Town of Tonawanda Detectives Chuck Card, Kevin Sweeney and Tim Connolly for their thorough investigative work. 

Assistant District Attorneys Nicholas T. Texido and Michael D. Smith prosecuted the case.