JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A man has been charged after reportedly selling another person cocaine that was laced with fentanyl, leading to his death, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies say on Thursday, deputies were granted an arrest warrant for a subject identified as Nysean Giddens, 23.
Giddens was charged with manslaughter in an overdose case that ultimately killed Shaun Callahan.
On September 13, 2020, deputies say they responded to a call from the girlfriend of Callahan stating that he was cold to the touch and not breathing. FCSO deputies and EMS arrived at the residence and located him unresponsive in his bed, where he was pronounced deceased on the scene.
During questioning, deputies say Callahan’s girlfriend said that he sometimes used cocaine and was “trying to stop.” Information was developed on a few people he would purchase cocaine from.
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A white powdery substance was located and came back positive for fentanyl, deputies say. The victim’s cause of death was ruled Fentanyl toxicity, deputies say.
Through investigative means, several messages were recovered from the victim’s cell phone from the name “Duke.” The number for “Duke” was found to belong to Giddens, who was communicating with Callahan via text message the day before his death.
The FCSO Special Investigations Unit then conducted an undercover operation to confirm the identity of Giddens and his role in drug trafficking.
Detectives were able to positively identify “Duke” as Giddens and he was questioned about his involvement with Callahan.
Deputies say Giddens admitted to selling him narcotics on September 12, 2020, and that he placed cocaine in his mailbox the evening before his death.
