Man pleads guilty to 2020 Oxycodone distribution, causing death
A Kansas man pleaded guilty to distribution causing death charges in Johnson County court Tuesday after selling drugs that resulted in a man’s death in 2020.
In a plea agreement Tuesday, Gerrell McKoy pleaded guilty to one count each of distribution of drugs causing death and theft by deception between $25,000 and $100,000.
On March 16, 2020, Olathe police officers were dispatched to an address in Johnson County after a report of an unresponsive person, according to an affidavit in support of McKoy’s arrest.
There, officers found Michael Danilov, 25, dead, the affidavit said. A witness last spoke with Danilov around 3 a.m., when he was playing video games. She went to check on him later that morning and found him “slumped over on his desk, stiff and cold to the touch.”
Officers “took caution in handling the scene,” the affidavit said, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Danilov reportedly had flu-like symptoms prior to his death.
Preliminary reports indicated Danilov had “physical characteristics” consistent with a drug overdose, according to the affidavit. Investigators found marijuana and prescription pills near Danilov. Officers think at least four of the pills were oxycodone.
An autopsy report revealed Danilov’s cause of death was fentanyl intoxication, according to court documents.
A witness shared a screenshot from Snapchat with police in which a witness asked McKoy if he had sold oxycodone to Danilov, according to the affidavit. McKoy responded that he had done so a few days ago.
After obtaining a warrant for Danilov and McKoy’s Snapchat accounts, investigators found a conversation between the two from March 15, 2020, and March 16, 2020, in which the pair discussed a drug purchase and exchanged messages indicating that they had met, according to the probable cause affidavit.
On March 16, 2020, Danilov messaged McKoy around 2 a.m. asking him if the pills were “legit,” because they felt “stronger than normal,” according to the affidavit. McKoy assured the man they were.
Minutes later, Danilov sent McKoy a string of “incoherent” text messages, the affidavit said. McKoy texted the man, “What you mean” before asking Danilov if he was all right and calling him.
On May 27, 2020, officers met with a witness who told investigators they previously had a dealer, but they had not sold anything for a few months because “he sold someone a pill that was fake and he ended up dying from it,” according to the affidavit.
McKoy admitted to officers that he had sold pills to Danilov, but that he became concerned when he couldn’t contact him after the sale, according to the affidavit.
Danilov, who was a server, is remembered as a man who loved music, “fine foods,” craft cocktails, gaming and making memories with those he loved, according to his obituary. He loved traveling to see bands and adding to his glass collection.
McKoy is set to appear for a sentencing hearing on Dec. 18, according to court records.
