Staff Report

Jacob John Schlichter

WARSAW — A Pierceton man was arrested on a drug dealing charge after officers responded to a fatal drug overdose in Warsaw.

Jacob John Schlichter, 30, 926 N. 900E, Pierceton, is charged with dealing in a narcotic drug, a level 5 felony.

On May 11, 2023, officers with the Warsaw Police Department and Kosciusko County NET 43 Drug Task Force responded to a fatal drug overdose. It was believed a Warsaw man had overdosed on drugs that contributed to his death.

Law enforcement spoke with the man’s girlfriend, who said the man was acting strange. She told officers she believed he had used drugs.

According to court documents, the woman said the victim told her he purchased five pills, later identified as a narcotic drug. She said she was unsure where the victim got the pills from but believed someone gave them to the victim at work. The victim and the woman each took one of the pills.

A postmortem examination on the victim ruled his manner of death as accidental and the cause as fentanyl toxicity.

A NET 43 officer spoke with the victim’s co-worker. While at work, the co-worker said the victim used Facebook to contact Schlichter about getting some drugs.

During the evening hours of May 10, 2023, the co-worker said he and the victim were sitting together in a vehicle when a Dodge pickup pulled up. The victim ran to the pickup and came back with drugs. The co-worker said he believed the victim thought the pills were oxycodone and not fentanyl.

On Dec. 6, 2023, law enforcement went to Schlichter’s residence and saw a Dodge Ram parked in the front yard. Schlichter was not home at that time.

On Dec. 19, 2023, the victim’s girlfriend spoke with law enforcement about Schlichter. She said on May 10, 2023, she believed the victim used her phone to sign in to his Facebook account. When the woman received a Facebook phone call from Schlichter, she asked the victim about it. The victim said he was unaware why Schlichter called. She attempted to find out where the victim got the drugs from, but the victim would not tell her.

On Jan. 24, 2024, officers spoke again with the victim’s co-worker. He said he asked the victim about the pills’ cost and was told $10 per pill. The co-worker said he questioned the victim about the price since they were usually priced at $25 to $30 a pill. The victim said his friend was coming from Columbia City and would be at their place of work soon.

He said both he and the victim used a portion of the drugs shortly after they received them.

On Jan. 30, 2024, officers spoke with a man who went to Schlichter’s home on May 11, 2023. He said Schlichter was emotional and told him his best friend died. Schlicther allegedly said he saw the victim the day he died and was worried because he gave the victim drugs. Schlichter said he thought the drugs were opiates.

Officers spoke with Schlichter on Jan. 31, 2024. Schlichter admitted he sold the victim five fentanyl pills in exchange for $50.

Schlichter was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Jan. 3, 2025. He has an initial hearing at 8:15 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, in Kosciusko Circuit Court.