PENNINGTON COUNTY, Minn. – A St. Hilaire, Minnesota, man was sentenced to one year in jail on Friday, Feb. 17.
Anthony Joseph Drury, 31, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder for the fentanyl overdose death of his fiancée. He was also charged with fourth degree drug sale, but it was dismissed.
Drury will serve a 365-day probationary jail sentence in the Pennington County Jail, according to Pennington County Attorney Seamus Duffy. Drury has credit for 111 days.
Drury was granted a stay of sentence for his prison sentence of 74 months. Drury will be on supervised probation for up to 10 years. If Drury violates the conditions of his probation, he will serve the prison sentence.
At 10:31 p.m. on Dec. 2, 2021, an ambulance was dispatched to 314 Water Avenue North in St. Hilaire, Minnesota.
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A Pennington County sheriff’s deputy arrived on scene within minutes, met by Drury and his mother.
In Drury’s basement bedroom, 20-year-old Michaela Rose Constance Cooper was lying on the floor, blue-faced, the affidavit said.
According to Drury, he and Cooper relapsed that day.
Cooper did not have a pulse, so emergency personnel administered CPR. She was also given two doses of Narcan, but the overdose treatment had no effect.
Cooper was pronounced dead at 11:08 p.m.
Drury allegedly told law enforcement he bought the drugs, which were fentanyl pills, from 24-year-old James Michael Morin.
Morin was also convicted of third-degree murder. He was sentenced to a little more than nine years in prison.
Third-degree murder by distributing a schedule 1 or 2 controlled substance has a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and $40,000 in fines.
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