A judge sentenced a drug dealer to 16 years in prison for homicide for selling fentanyl-laced drugs to a 43-year-old man, causing his death at a motel near Marengo.
Ladell D. Walker Sr., 48, of Elgin, was charged in November 2023 with one count of drug-induced homicide, a Class X felony.
Prosecutors said that an employee at the Sunset Motel in unincorporated Marengo entered a room to check on a resident who had been staying there on September 12, 2023.
The motel manager entered the room and discovered Jacob Schramm, 43, dead inside.
The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and conducted an extensive investigation into Schramm’s death.
Officers recovered evidence from the victim’s belongings, including narcotics-related items and electronic evidence.
A forensic examination of Schramm’s cell phone showed communications and other digital evidence linking the victim to Walker, who had supplied the deadly drugs shortly before the victim’s death, prosecutors said.
Additional forensic testing confirmed the presence of fentanyl in Schramm’s system and corroborated Walker’s role in delivering the fatal dose, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Walker arranged through phone calls and text messages to meet with Schramm in Elgin where he delivered narcotics containing fentanyl two days prior.
A multi-day trial was held in May and the jury found Walker guilty of the charge.
McHenry County Judge Tiffany Davis sentenced Walker to 16 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections during a sentencing hearing on Thursday.
Walker must serve 75% of his prison sentence under Illinois truth-in-sentencing laws and he will then be on 18 months of mandatory supervised release.
“Every drug dealer who chooses to distribute this deadly poison accepts the risk that someone will lose their life,” McHenry County State’s Attorney Randi L. Freese said.
“Be warned that if you choose to peddle your poison in our county, that no matter where you live, we will work relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to identify you, find you, and hold you responsible. I commend the investigators and prosecutors whose diligent work ensured justice for the victim and his family,” Freese said.
Freese lauded the “outstanding investigative efforts” of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and the Crystal Lake Police Department as being “instrumental” in securing the conviction.