BLOOMINGTON – In a case that highlights the devastating impact of the opioid crisis, a Bloomington man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for supplying drugs that led to a fatal overdose.
Monroe Circuit Judge Mary Ellen Diekhoff handed down the sentence.
Otis J. Hicks, 35, pleaded guilty in a plea deal to selling fentanyl and methamphetamine that caused the death of a 34-year-old man in March 2020. The victim’s mother, who discovered her son’s body, played a crucial role in helping police identify Hicks as the supplier through text and Facebook messages.
The day after the overdose, police arrested Hicks, finding him in possession of a loaded Glock 9mm handgun with an extended magazine and 19 grams of methamphetamine.
The case against Hicks also involved charges from a separate incident where a woman was assaulted and robbed in a hotel parking lot. As part of a plea agreement, several charges were dismissed, including those related to illegal firearm possession, armed robbery, and additional drug offenses.
The sentencing terms require Hicks to forfeit two 9mm Glock handguns and all ammunition used in the crimes. He received credit for 1,417 days already served in the Monroe County Jail and was ordered to pay $789 in court costs.
While the 20-year sentence sends a strong message about the consequences of dealing deadly drugs, Hicks may be eligible for a sentence reduction that could allow him to serve the last four years under alternative incarceration programs such as work release.
This case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and the judicial system to combat the opioid epidemic and hold accountable those who profit from the distribution of dangerous substances.
