Indy man charged with dealing resulting in death nearly 3 years after fatal overdose

LAWRENCE, Ind. — An accused drug dealer has been arrested and charged with dealing resulting in death following a fatal overdose nearly three years ago in Lawrence.

According to court records, the fatal overdose took place after the victim texted the suspect asking how many drugs he could buy for $50.

After buying a handful of Xanax bars, 27-year-old Tyler Rugg died in an upstairs bedroom at a home on Campfire Run in July 2022.

The coroner ruled Rugg died from fentanyl poisoning.

“This is devastating for him and his family and it’s tragic,” said Mike Gannon, the assistant special agent in charge for the DEA.

No one was held accountable for that death for nearly three years, until the victim’s father called and reported his son’s phone had evidence related to the deadly drug deal.

According to a release by IMPD, the Overdose Death Task Force was made aware of this case in April by individuals who had seen recent news coverage of the task force’s efforts to bring accountability in overdose death cases.

The task force quickly identified a possible suspect who allegedly supplied the fatal narcotics.

Court records now claim 32-year-old Jerami Berry exchanged a series of text messages with Rugg arranging the fatal drug deal.

Berry also allegedly texted Rugg inquiring if the drugs hit, wondering if Rugg was good. Berry allegedly asked if it felt like fentanyl because his wife who’s a pharmacist said the pills looked official.

“Obviously the guy was concerned he was dealing something with fentanyl and we’re telling people if you’re getting stuff from the street and not from a licensed pharmacy, you’re at risk for fentanyl being in it and it shouldn’t happen,” said Gannon.

A tiny amount of fentanyl can be deadly, Gannon said. The DEA insists that increased public awareness is also saving lives and leading to a dramatic decrease in fatal overdoses in Marion County over the last few years.

“We have to make sure people know the facts and we have to keep talking about it, because one mistake costs everybody,” said Gannon. “It’s tragic and devastating. We have to keep this fight going and keep raising awareness.”

The suspect is due in court for an initial hearing next week. His bond has been set at $40,000 surety plus $4,000 cash.

IMPD says Berry’s arrest marks the third dealing resulting in death arrest by the the task force in 2025. Initially established in March 2024, the Overdose Death Task Force is a dedicated and collaborative unit that works to combat the opioid crisis in Marion County by investigating fatal overdoses, holding offenders accountable and striving to prevent future tragedies through awareness and deterrence.