Lorain woman charged in Elyria man's fatal overdose in February, another drug case

A Lorain woman is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly providing the fentanyl that killed an Elyria man in February. Brandee McAreavey, 33, of West 29th Street, was indicted Friday by a grand jury in Lorain County Common Pleas Court on one count each of involuntary manslaughter, corrupting another with drugs, tampering with evidence, trafficking in drugs, possession of drugs and trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound in two cases investigated by the Elyria Police Department. McAreavey will be arraigned Thursday in Judge Giovanna Bremke's courtroom. She was being held in the Lorain County Jail on $30,000 bond. A message seeking comment was left for her attorney. In the first case, Elyria police and the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office allege that on Feb. 12, McAreavey gave or sold drugs containing fentanyl — a powerful synthetic opioid painkiller that can be prescribed by a doctor or illegally abused — to Henry "Hank" Howes, 46, of Elyria. Howes ingested the drugs, overdosed and died. Quoting the case report, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Chris Pierre said McAreavey then allegedly "made many admissions" about her involvement in the death. In a second incident, McAreavey was being treated and being moved from one hospital bed to another at University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center on May 29 when a baggie containing 4.6 grams of suspected methamphetamine fell out of her hospital gown, Pierre said. That led to additional felony drug trafficking and possession charges. McAreavey's criminal history in Lorain County involves multiple misdemeanor theft and contempt of court charges and a few minor violent crimes including aggravated menacing, according to Lorain County Jail records. Contact Dave O'Brien at dobrien@chroniclet.com.