2 charged in fatal Unity drug overdose

Two Jeannette men are charged with drug delivery resulting in death in connection with a March 2021 fatal overdose in Unity, according to court papers.

Stephen A. Piper, 34, is free on $25,000 unsecured bail. Bail for Andrey L. Young, 42, was set at $10,000. He was being held at the Westmoreland County Prison.

State police said they were called to a Davis Street home on March 1, 2021 at 5 p.m. and found Gerald Lentz Jr., 33, dead. Six stamp bags of drugs marked “Covid-19” were located in his bedroom, two of which appeared to have been used. On his phone, police listened to a voicemail from Piper discussing drug activity, according to court papers.

When troopers interviewed Piper, he told them he worked with Young to sell drugs to Lentz on Feb. 26 and provided a warning along with the ultimately fatal doses, police said.

“Piper knew this heroin was extremely strong and Piper warned Lentz Jr. to only use half,” Trooper Michael Thompson wrote in the complaint.

Young denied selling drugs to Lentz, police said.

Authorities said they seized several stamp bags marked “Covid-19” from the Jeannette home where Young and Piper lived. Lab reports showed that the bags found at both homes contained heroin and fentanyl, which also was present in the blood of Lentz, according to court papers.

Troopers confiscated methamphetamine and several drug-related items from the suspects’ home. They both face additional drug offenses. Neither suspect had an attorney listed in the cases. July 18 preliminary hearings are set.

Lentz worked as a landscaper and was survived by his parents and six siblings, according to his obituary.