Quinton O’Bryan Adaway, Distributing Fentanyl, Missouri 2020

A fatal overdose in Ballwin, Missouri turned into a gruesome discovery when the man who supplied the fentanyl tried to hide the body in his backyard.

Quinton O’Bryan Adaway, 26, pleaded guilty in front of U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey to one count of distributing fentanyl.

According to court documents, Adaway admitted that on the evening of July 11, 2020, or early the next morning, he provided several capsules containing fentanyl to a man he’d known for several years, identified as ‘M.C.’

M.C. had bought drugs from Adaway in the past or traded drugs with him, both struggled with drug abuse, and Adaway warned M.C. that the capsules were more potent than capsules M.C. had previously used.

M.C. took the fentanyl in his car before leaving, overdosed, and died. Later that day or the next, Adaway discovered the body and tried to hide it in the backyard by partially covering it with cloth and placing items around it.

Adaway also removed the SIM card from M.C.’s cellular phone and disposed of the phone. M.C.’s family and girlfriend began looking for him on July 12, but Adaway denied knowing where he was.

On July 13, they reported M.C. missing to police and tracked M.C.’s cell phone to Adaway’s house. The family contacted the Ballwin Police Department, and officers found M.C.’s body.

Police found the SIM card, two of the victim’s debit cards, drugs, and drug paraphernalia in Adaway’s home.

Adaway is scheduled to be sentenced January 12, both sides have agreed to recommend a 10-year prison sentence.

Adaway was sentenced to four years in state prison after pleading guilty in St. Louis County Circuit Court to a felony charge of abandoning a corpse.

The Ballwin Police Department investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.

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