OLIVIA, MN (trfnews.i234.me) — According to court documents, Ortiz was involved in facilitating a drug sale between a woman who later died from an overdose caused by fentanyl and another individual.
The incident occurred on October 25, 2023, when law enforcement responded to a residence in Morton, Minnesota. The woman was found unresponsive, and a piece of tinfoil with black residue, a metal pipe, and lighter were located nearby.
A family member reported that they had found additional drug paraphernalia, including a folded piece of paper containing a white substance that later field-tested presumptive positive for fentanyl.
Ortiz admitted to helping facilitate the drug sale between the woman and another individual. He stated that he was present when the drug purchase occurred in Minneapolis but claimed that the other individual had changed his mind about who would give the drugs to the woman.
An autopsy report determined that the woman’s death was caused by toxic effects of fentanyl, and a subsequent investigation found that the substance located in her room weighed approximately 1.24 grams.
Ortiz pleaded guilty on June 24, 2024, and was sentenced to 36 months in prison with credit for 133 days served. He is currently incarcerated at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud and is expected to be released on May 4, 2026.
Criminal proceedings are continuing against two other suspects: Joshua Lee Hill, who is also charged with aiding and abetting third-degree murder; and Eugene Damario Tate, who faces charges of third-degree murder via selling/distributing controlled substances.
Chris Harper reporting for trfnews.i234.me