A Florida woman was arrested Monday by Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a warrant for one charge of homicide for the “killing of a human other than by murder or homicide,” deputies reported.
The charge dates back to Oct. 2, 2022, when Clay County deputies responded to a drug overdose in Middleburg. Upon their arrival, they found Nicholas Arrick, 33, of Ohio, who was deceased in a bedroom.
A syringe was located in Arrick’s hand along with a small baggie of white powder in his other hand, the arrest warrant said. The powder tested positive for fentanyl, deputies reported.
Evidence from Arrick’s cell phone and an interview with a confidential witness led investigators to believe Cherie House, 31, of Lake Butler, is the woman who sold and delivered the fentanyl that resulted in Arrick’s death. Investigators have additional evidence from Facebook messages, cell tower pings, Cash App records and interviews, they said.
The Medical Examiner’s Office provided the toxicology report for Arrick which revealed the cause of death to be probable drug toxicity by fentanyl, the arrest warrant said.
The arrest warrant was issued on May 19, 2023 and deputies responded to House’s home located in the 12200 block of North East 209 Avenue in Lake Butler on Monday at approximately 1:01 p.m.
She confirmed her identity and was subsequently placed under arrest for her involvement in Arrick’s death. House was transported to the Clay County Jail and her bond is set at $200,003.
Click here to view Arrick’s obituary.
In September 2021, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said that drug dealers should be charged with murder “if someone dies as a result of their actions.”
Moody’s comment was made at a press conference for a drug bust dubbed “Lucky 777s” that occurred through the U.S. Postal Service from California to Northeast Florida.
Click here to read more about the Lucky 777s drug operation.
If you have a news tip in Clay County, contact Zoey Fields at zoey.fields@newsbreak.com. You can also follow her on Twitter at @zoeyfields0.
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