Elgin man headed to prison for selling drugs that killed St. Charles man

An Elgin man has been sentenced to nine years in jail after pleading guilty to selling drugs that killed a St. Charles man.

Jose R. Charles, 28, of the 600 block of Dixon Avenue, agreed to a guilty plea to the charge of drug-induced homicide, according to a news release from Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser’s office.

According to the release, on April 4, 2019, Charles agreed via text message to sell heroin to the victim, 25-year-old Trevor Brubaker of St. Charles. Brubaker drove to Charles’ place of employment in Hanover Park and purchased three bags of heroin from Charles for $50.

Brubaker returned to his St. Charles home and was later found dead in his bathroom. A chemical analysis of the drugs indicated the presence of the synthetic opioid fentanyl in the heroin.

An autopsy revealed that Brubaker died of fentanyl intoxication.

Charles has multiple convictions on drug offenses dating to 2012.

In accordance with Illinois law, Charles must serve at least 75 percent of the sentence. Charles receives credit for 1,091 days served in the Kane County jail, where he had been held since his arrest in lieu of $500,000 bail.