A Chicago man has been charged with drug-induced homicide for his alleged role in supplying the narcotics that killed a 33-year-old Naperville man, law enforcement officials said.
Christopher Hobson, 38, is accused of providing a fatal dose of fentanyl and alprazolam to the unnamed victim, a news release from the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Naperville Police Department.
The man ordered the drugs from Hobson on Feb. 20, 2023, and they were delivered by a third party the following day, the release said. The victim was found unresponsive in his home about 1:45 p.m. Feb. 22, 2023, and pronounced dead about 20 minutes later from a drug overdose.
When processing the scene, police recovered bags containing illegal narcotics. An autopsy performed determined the victim’s cause of death was drug intoxication involving fentanyl, alprazolam, phenobarbita and fluoxetine consumption, the release said. The latter two drugs were prescribed by a doctor and police traced the other two to Hobson, according to officials.
Hobson was arrested Wednesday in Chicago on a warrant issued April 4 charging him with three counts of felony drug induced homicide and two felony counts of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance.
“The tragic death of the victim is yet another terrible reminder of the extreme danger illegal narcotics, particularly fentanyl, continue to be in our communities,” State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. “Losing someone close to you is hard enough but to lose a beloved family member so suddenly and unnecessarily can have a crippling, long-lasting effect on not just the immediate family, but also on surviving friends and relatives.”
Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres said those who sell illegal drugs that prove fatal need to face the consequences of their actions.
“This investigation is an excellent example of how committed our department is to holding those responsible for such tragedies accountable,” Arres said.
Hobson’s next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 12.
