Washington woman sentenced to prison for death involving fentanyl-laced cocaine
A Washington woman convicted of facilitating the sale of fentanyl-laced cocaine with her boyfriend to a Canton Township man who died nearly immediately after he ingested the drugs nearly four years ago was sentenced to state prison Tuesday.
Ashley Renee Matthews, 37, was sentenced by Judge Brandon Neuman to serve 5½ to 11 years following an emotional proceeding in Washington County Court of Common Pleas in which numerous friends and relatives of Matthews attended.
Matthews was convicted by Neuman following a bench trial in June on charges of drug delivery resulting in death and other drug-related counts in connection with the death of 37-year-old Brandon Howard on Dec. 21, 2019.
Howard was found dead inside his Canton Township apartment by his sister, Brittany Zemba, after family members could not reach him. A victim impact statement written by Zemba was read in court before sentencing, although Howard’s family did not attend the proceeding.
“There’s not a day I don’t think about him,” Zemba wrote in her statement read in court. “The loss of my brother has changed our family tremendously.”
Assistant District Attorney Rachel Wheeler said Matthews was instrumental in setting up the sale of cocaine between her boyfriend, Robert Michael Hayes Jr., and Howard, with whom she was friends. Wheeler added that Matthews knew the cocaine was laced with other drugs because she got sick herself while using it, and the couple warned Howard about the potency of the drugs after selling it to him.
“Brandon Howard lost his life for having the misfortune of knowing Ashley Matthews,” Wheeler said. “She knew they were dangerous. She knew they were deadly. Yet she still arranged the deal.”
Hayes also was charged with selling another batch of fentanyl-laced cocaine that killed Joseph Christopher Francis, 43, of Washington, on Jan. 24, 2020. Hayes, 41, of Washington, pleaded guilty in February to two counts of drug delivery resulting in death and criminal use of a communication facility in connection with the deadly batch given to Howard and later Francis. He was sentenced to serve 8½ to 20 years in prison.
Wheeler also brought to light an email sent from defense attorney Almon Burke Jr. to the prosecutor a day after the bench trial in which he said Matthews would cooperate with investigators regarding a “third body” she knew about in order to receive a reduced sentence. State police Trooper Anthony Sayles said investigators never took the email seriously because Matthews was not forthcoming about Howard’s death in the months before she was charged in February 2020. It’s not known who Burke was referring to in the email and investigators did not pursue the information from Matthews.
Matthews spoke briefly, apologizing for her role in Howard’s death and said how they were both trying to overcome addiction.
“I want to apologize to him for not being a better friend. I failed him as a friend,” Matthews told the court. “There’s nothing I can do to ease his family’s pain.”
Several family members and friends of Matthews also spoke on her behalf, explaining that she is a good person who didn’t intend to cause Howard’s death. Her cousin, Mariah Yoders, said Matthews had a “motherly” influence on her until she went to a “dark place” while dating Hayes.
“That wasn’t her. That was a different Ashley,” Yoders said while adding that it still didn’t excuse her actions. “Her mistakes aren’t who she is.”
Neuman said he took into account their statements and the severity of the situation when he sentenced Matthews to a prison term slightly above the standard range for the felony drug delivery resulting in death conviction.
“I know this can be very difficult, but unfortunately it had to come to this point. Frankly, Ms. Matthews, you’re lucky you’re alive,” Neuman said, nothing that she ingested the same fentanyl-laced cocaine that Howard also consumed.
Matthews, who has been free on $250,000 bond since May 2020, was taken into custody by sheriff’s deputy following the sentencing hearing and transported to the Washington County jail before she is assigned a state prison to serve her time. Neuman gave her credit for time served in jail immediately after her arrest and ordered her to pay restitution to Howard’s family for funeral expenses.