Brenner charged in Long’s death

A Dunkirk man has been charged with dealing fentanyl, resulting in a man’s death.

Cody A. Brenner, 34, 317 E. North St., Dunkirk, was charged in Jay Circuit Court with a Level 1 felony for knowingly or intentionally delivering fentanyl, which resulted in the death of Zachary Long on Sept. 11.

Long, 26, Dunkirk, was discovered by a 14-year-old, identified in court documents as M.N.

An autopsy was conducted on Long’s remains Oct. 26, indicating he died from fentanyl exposure. A toxicology report indicated he had a blood alcohol level of 0.087%, as well as ethanol, fentanyl and norfentanyl in his body.

According to court documents, Brenner admitted during an Oct. 24 interview with police that he dealt heroin to M.N. He later told police his supplier was Aaron Baker, who was sentenced to 28 years in Indiana Department of Correction on April 26 after pleading guilty to dealing methamphetamine, a Level 2 felony, and being a habitual offender, the documents say.

Brenner allegedly admitted to getting $60 worth of heroin on Sept. 10 — $30 worth for himself and another $30 for M.N.

Court documents indicated that Brenner said Oct. 24 he didn’t know the heroin he delivered to M.N. would cause an overdose and he told police “kids nowadays take a bunch of stuff together.” He said Long had pills and other substances and regularly used opioids. He told police M.N. mentioned Long had taken Klonopin and had been drinking. He said he didn’t believe what he gave to M.N. was what caused Long’s overdose.

However, during an interview Oct. 26, Brenner allegedly admitted M.N. purchased a bag of heroin and fentanyl from him near Broad Street in Dunkirk. He admitted to knowing what he gave M.N. was a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and said “anymore it’s all mixed together,” court documents say. He told police Oct. 26 he did not know M.N. planned to share the drugs with Long.

M.N. told police Oct. 25 he purchased fentanyl from Brenner on Sept. 10. He said he let Long “snort a line,” and after the heroin Long crushed and snorted a Xanax. After that, M.N. said he left Long’s house. He told police he tried to reach Long later — M.N. also overdosed that night but emergency personnel revived him — and discovered he had died Sept. 11.

In Indiana, a Level 1 felony has a sentence range between 20 to 40 years, with an advisory sentence of 30 years