Toledo man apologizes for selling a drug that killed his friend

Defense attorney Martin McManus, left, with his client, Frederick Emanuel.

THE BLADE/JETTA FRASER
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A Toledo man who sold a fatal dose of carfentanil to his friend apologized directly to the dead man’s family Tuesday as he was sentenced to prison.

Defendant Frederick Emanuel.

Frederick Emanuel, 47, who was already serving time when he was indicted for involuntary manslaughter, was sentenced Monday to an additional three years in prison. Emanuel pleaded guilty last week to selling a fatal dose of the drug to Ricky Mosher, 58, of Toledo.

Mr. Mosher was found dead in his home June 29. An autopsy concluded he died of an overdose of carfentanil, a large-animal tranquilizer considered 100 times more potent than fentanyl.

“People that are selling these drugs are selling poison, and that’s what you were doing,” said Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Dean Mandros. “You knowingly, willingly, for the purpose of making a few bucks helped put into circulation in this community, poison.”

Emanuel turned to Mr. Mosher’s family — who declined to comment after court proceedings — and apologized. Emanuel referred to Mr. Mosher as his friend.

Judge Mandros said he believes Emanuel did not intend for anyone to die from the substance, but it’s “common knowledge that’s what can happen.”

“You were a full participant in the death of this individual,” the judge added.

Additional charges of corrupting another with drugs and aggravated trafficking in drugs were dismissed.

In October, Emanuel was sentenced to two years in prison by Judge Mandros after he pleaded guilty to trafficking heroin. He has served nearly one year, and the involuntary manslaughter charge will run concurrently with that sentence, totaling approximately four years in prison.

Contact Allison Dunn at areamer@theblade.com, 419-724-6506, or on Twitter @AllisonDBlade.