LUCAS COUNTY, OH (WTOL) - A landmark court case is underway in Toledo. On Wednesday, a judge found a heroin dealer guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
Coreon Snow Veley sold heroin to a teen who died of an overdose 24 hours later.
Snow Veley was not only found guilty of trafficking drugs, but also of involuntary manslaughter.
The Honorable Myron Duhart said the State of Ohio proved each and every element of the involuntary manslaughter beyond a reasonable doubt charge during the trial and that is why he found Snow Veley guilty.
Snow Veley sold heroin to 17-year-old Kurt Kohn in August of 2014.
Kohn was a recent graduate of Sylvania Southview High School who was reportedly trying to get help for his addiction.
The judge determined Kohn was killed as a result of Snow Veley's actions.
"Their son was partly to blame for his own death, but what the mother indicated to me over and over was that every day she prayed and went to bed every night, wishing someone wouldn't sell to her son," said Assistant County Prosecutor Jennifer Liptack-Wilson.
Snow Veley's family is outraged with this verdict.
"No disrespect to the judge, but disrespect to the system, because at the end of the day we all out here trying to survive. Why would you take and lock up somebody else for the choice they made," said Ethel Edwards, Snow Veley's grandmother.
Snow Veley is the second person in Lucas County to be charged with involuntary manslaughter for selling heroin that later killed someone.
He is the first to be found guilty of the charge after a trial.
"He should get time for the drug charge, but he should not get time for a murder that happened 24 hours later," said Edwards.
Cases like this have been tried in other counties in Ohio.
"We have a victim who is in part responsible for their own death as they voluntarily ingested the substance that they know could lead to their own death. That takes a lot of sympathy away from the victim involved," said Liptack-Wilson.
Snow Veley faces 3 to 11 years in prison. He will be sentenced Feb. 3.
