Youngwood man to serve probation, house arrest for drug sales in two fatal overdoses
Share this post:
A Youngwood man was ordered Wednesday to serve 10-years on probation for his role in two overdose deaths.
Frank Bogley, 72, pleaded guilty in April to felony counts that included two charges of drug delivery resulting in death and related offenses in connection with Feb. 1, 2020, death of 39-year-old Tina Johnson in West Newton and the Oct. 24, 2020, overdose of John W. Wiltrout Jr., 58, in East Huntingdon.
He also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of simple assault for a 2020 incident in which police said Bogley stabbed a man with a screwdriver as he attempted to repossess a vehicle.
Bogley is in failing health and attended his sentencing hearing in a wheelchair and was connected to an oxygen tank.
Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani cited Bogley’s health concerns and ordered Bogley to serve the first five years of his probation term on house arrest.
“Two people died as a result of your drug dealing but because of your condition (jail) would be contrary to your best interests so I am not sentencing you to a jail sentence,” Feliciani said.
Barbara Wiltrout, the sister of Bogley’s second victim, during a court appearance last week called for a sentence that included time behind bars.
“We believe he should not get off and should spend time in jail for what he did. We lost my brother, my friend, and it’s not the same without him. We hurt every day and all we want is justice in this matter. Why should he enjoy his life and my brother cannot enjoy his,” Wiltrout testified.
Police said John Wiltrout’s friend, Matthew Taxacher, arranged to buy drugs from Bogley a night before the overdose. Bogley delivered the heroin, and Wiltrout snorted one bag in his vehicle, where he was found unconscious and later died, authorities said.
Nine months earlier, police said Johnson’s longtime boyfriend, Jesse Carl Long III, drove the couple to Youngwood to purchase 10 stamp bags of what they believed would be heroin for $100 from Bogley.
Police said Long used one bag and gave the remaining drugs to Johnson.
Johnson was later found unconscious on the sidewalk of South Water Street. Subsequent toxicology reports attributed her death to a fentanyl overdose.
“I apologize to Tina and her family for what transpired,” Bogley said. “She was a really good friend of mine. The other gentleman (Wiltrout), I didn’t know but I apologize to his family too.”
Taxacher, 57, of Tarrs, who prosecutors said cooperated with the investigation, was originally charged with drug delivery resulting in death. He pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a lesser charge of reckless endangerment and drug possession and was sentenced to three years on probation.
Long, 52, of West Newton, was charged with one count of drug delivery resulting in death in connection with Johnson’s overdose. Prosecutors dismissed criminal charges against Long, saying his failing health prevented him from appearing in court.