CLAY CO.— An Iola man with a history of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder has been charged with Drug Induced Homicide.
The charge alleges that on May 25 at 2 p.m. and May 26 at 5 a.m. at 920 Rider St., Flora, Michael D. Schoreck, 37, knowingly delivered a fentanyl patch to Brian Ernst who ingested the patch, which action caused his death.
Fentanyl is an opiate commonly used to manage severe chronic pain.
Its euphoric effect makes it a big draw to many in the illicit drug community and has lead to numerous deaths when the patch, designed to absorb through the skin, is ingested (with the gel substance either scraped off and eaten, or moved to a foil or other device and heated, thus smoked), thereby releasing the entire dosage all at once.
Death can result from such an overdose when the brain stops communicating with the lungs to breathe.
If convicted of Drug Induced Homicide, Schoreck faces a sentence of 15-30 years or if his criminal history or the details of the death make him eligible for an extended sentence, 30-60 years in IDOC.
In June, when Schoreck was charged with Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance Within 1,000 feet of North Clay Community School Unit #25, his attorney Chris Elliott, filed a motion, which was granted, for him to undergo a mental evaluation to determine if he were fit to stand trial.
Given the additional, more serious charge, it appears Schoreck was found fit for trial.
At that time Elliott told the court that Schoreck was taking seven different prescription medications and appeared obsessed with additional charges he might be facing.
Schoreck was convicted in Clay County in 2000 of Residential Burglary and Fleeing/Attempt to Elude Police and was sentenced to eight years IDOC.
He was convicted in 2010 in Coles County of Theft and sentenced to two years probation and ordered to have a mental evaluation, the result of which is unknown.
When Schoreck appeared before the judge in the case for the first reading of the Drug Induced Homicide charge, Elliott was not with him and court documents indicate he appeared pro se, or representing himself.
Schoreck is scheduled to appear back in court later this month.