By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Jay L. Krauter

WARSAW — A Milford man has pled guilty to dealing drugs to a woman who overdosed and died.

Jay L. Krauter, 55, P.O. Box 435, Milford, pled guilty to dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death, a level 1 felony, on Monday, July 31.

If Kosciusko Circuit Court Judge Michael Reed accepts the plea, Krauter will receive a 25-year sentence, with 20 years in prison and five years suspended on probation.

Plea acceptance and sentencing will take place at 9:45 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 24.

On Oct. 28, 2021, the Milford Police chief responded to a death at a residence. Upon arrival, the chief spoke to the family of Laini Roberts, 28, Milford. The family said they found Roberts deceased in a bedroom.

According to court documents, the chief spoke with a man who received photos of a message string between Roberts and Krauter. The man also said he went to Krauter’s home and noticed drug items in a room. Upon being told Roberts died, Krauter said he did not mean for that to happen.

An autopsy ruled Roberts’ cause of death as intoxication by acetylfentanyl, fentanyl, and xylazine. A drug screen indicated these substances were present in Roberts’ body.

A Milford detective interviewed Krauter about Roberts’ death in December 2021. Krauter said on Oct. 27, 2021, Roberts asked him to come over and bring heroin. He agreed to bring some drugs over for the two of them to use.

Krauter admitted Roberts used heroin he delivered to her and that he took money from Roberts for the drugs. He also admitted to delivering heroin to Roberts the night she died.

On June 3, 2022, a Milford officer conducted a field test of a small bag containing a white substance collected from Roberts’ home. The bag was of the same size and style as bags collected during a search of Krauter’s home. The substance tested positive for fentanyl.