The Fennimore woman accused of supplying heroin to a man who later died after using it is scheduled to go to trial for three heroin-related charges in the coming months.
Tina D. Smith, 26, is charged with reckless homicide, possession of narcotic drugs, and manufacturing with intent to deliver heroin of up to 3 grams. She faces up to 61 years in prison and up to $135,000 in fines if convicted of all charges.
Smith appeared before Grant County Circuit Court Judge Craig Day for a scheduling conference Jan. 15. Day scheduled jury selection and jury trials for all three charges.
The first trial, scheduled for Thursday, is in connection with the possession of narcotic drugs charge. Jury selection is scheduled for that day, as is a pre-trial conference.
The second trial, scheduled for March 25, is in connection with the heroin manufacturing charge. Jury selection is scheduled for the same day.
The final trial, scheduled for April 22, is in connection with the reckless homicide charge. Jury selection is scheduled for the same day.
Authorities responded to the Rayovac parking lot on Aug. 31, where they observed an unresponsive male later identified as Bradley Millin, 24. Millin was found partially in a vehicle registered to Smith.
Millin was pronounced dead later that evening. An autopsy report reported opiates were found in his system and listed the cause of death as “acute application of heroin,” according to a criminal complaint.
Smith allegedly told authorities she purchased $120 worth of heroin on Aug. 31, which her dealer packed in two individual packages. She allegedly used approximately half of one of the bags of heroin and left the other bag at her home.
Millin contacted Smith regarding using heroin and later sent her a text message asking if he could have some of the heroin she purchased earlier in the day, according to a criminal complaint. She allegedly replied she would.
Smith took the remaining heroin from the partially used bag, a needle, tourniquet and cooker and placed it in a pencil case and left that pencil case in the center console of her vehicle, according to a criminal complaint.
When Millin contacted Smith a second time, she allegedly told him she would leave the heroin and “fix kit” in her vehicle.
Smith worked at Rayovac from 6:30 p.m. until approximately 9 p.m., when she was told someone was passed out in her vehicle. She recognized Millin as the unconscious person and attempted to revive him but he did not respond, according to a criminal complaint.
Smith allegedly removed the contents of the pencil case from her vehicle and threw the needle, cooker and tourniquet under the bushes near a Rayovac sign.
A Richland–Iowa–Grant Drug Task Force investigator was asked to respond to the Grant County Jail on Oct. 27 regarding a possible overdose of jail inmate Rilee Starkey.
The investigator spoke with a jailer, who indicated when they were escorting Starkey back to her cell block following a visitation, Starkey mentioned someone was going to drop off Icy Hot for her. The Icy Hot was later dropped off and delivered to Starkey.
At approximately 6 p.m. on Oct. 27, the jailer heard pounding coming from the east corridor. An inmate in B Block told the jailer Starkey was on the floor in the bathroom, where she had fallen and hit her head, according to a criminal complaint.
When the jailer entered the bathroom she found Starkey, her face purple, lying on the floor gasping for breath. While tending to Starkey, the jailer allegedly noticed a needle in her right hand with no cap on it.
The investigator met with a second jailer, who searched the bathroom where Starkey was found after she was transported to the hospital. The jailer found an Icy Hot box and Icy Hot bottle in a garbage can under some paper towels, according to a criminal complaint.
Starkey told the investigator she used another inmate’s calling card to call Smith and request she bring her heroin. Starkey alleged Smith was able to get the heroin to her by placing it in the Icy Hot bottle. The bottle also contained a syringe and tie off.
The investigator spoke with Smith, who indicated Starkey asked her to do “one last favor” before she left for rehab, meaning she wanted her to bring her heroin. Smith admitted to delivering the Icy Hot box to the jail, but denied she was the one who put the drugs and paraphernalia inside of it, according to a criminal complaint.
A corrections officer met with the investigator on Oct. 29 and indicated she received a letter from female inmates alleging Smith was getting high.
The corrections officer escorted Smith to a holding area on Oct. 29 to perform a pat-down search of her. When asked if she had any drugs on her, Smith allegedly replied “yes” and handed the corrections officer a syringe, blue band and an unidentified item wrapped in a tissue.
The unidentified item, a chunk of a brown substance, was later tested by the Richland–Iowa–Grant Drug Task Force investigator. The substance tested positive for heroin, according to a criminal complaint.
Smith is being held in the Grant County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
