The man who was the first in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, to be convicted of manslaughter for dealing drugs has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Jason Patton Baker, 46, of Millersville, has been sentenced in the death of 16-year-old Josiah Klaes, who died in 2018 after taking drugs he bought from Baker.
Prosecutors said that according to text messages between Baker and Klaes, and a statement from Klaes’ brother, Baker had sold Klaes marijuana and heroin in the past. But the teen did not know that the drug Baker sold him before his death was actually a lethal dose of fentanyl, not heroin.
Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said Baker was aware of Klaes’ age and weight, but still sold him the deadly drug.
“What makes this case disturbing is that Mr. Baker new that what he was selling was very strong,” Leitess said. “We’re seeing that, more and more, other drugs are tainted with fentanyl. Even if you’re buying one drug, you may be exposed to even more deadly drugs.”
Leitess said it’s a reminder of the dangers of purchasing drugs, and the consequences for those who sell them. “It’s just not something that we’re going to tolerate,” she said.
Baker was found guilty of manslaughter and the distribution of fentanyl, among other charges.
