OC man gets state prison term for role in drug death

From staff reports

An Oil City man will serve up to 20 years in state prison in connection with the drug-related death of a 14-year-old boy in Oil City in 2018.

Jarvis L. Mitchell, 33, was sentenced this week by Venango County Judge Robert Boyer.

Mitchell negotiated a guilty plea in January to felony charges of corrupt organizations-employee and drug delivery resulting in death.

The two counts carried a sentence of 30 months to 20 years and 9 years to 20 years respectively, and they will be served concurrently, according to court documents.

Several charges against Mitchell were dismissed, including manufacture with intent to deliver and endangering the welfare of children.

Mitchell’s charges and subsequent sentence stem from the 2018 overdose death of the son of Mitchell’s then-girlfriend, Heather Morgan, 39.

In earlier court proceedings, Oil City police identified Mitchell as a leader of a group responsible for moving large amounts of heroin and cocaine from Detroit to the Venango County area.

In a combined preliminary hearing, it was revealed Mitchell worked to coordinate drug-selling activity at Morgan’s Bishop Avenue residence, which provided direct drug access to the boy, police said.

The boy was also directed to hide drugs, which eventually resulted in his death, police said.

Morgan pleaded guilty last year to a misdemeanor charge of involuntary manslaughter and a felony charge of conspiracy to manufacture, deliver or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance last year.

She is currently serving two consecutive sentences of one to five years at the Muncy state prison.