Philadelphia Drug Dealer Charged for Overdose Death

Charlie Dwyer

NORRISTOWN, PA – Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Hatfield Township Police Chief William Tierney announce the arrest of Derrick Jackson, 58, of Philadelphia, for Drug Delivery Resulting in Death related to the Sept. 30, 2020 death of 49-year-old Jason Evans in Hatfield.

On Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020, at approximately 7:23 a.m., Hatfield Township Police were dispatched to an apartment on Penn Avenue for a reported cardiac emergency, which was then amended to an overdose. Officers and EMTs arrived to find Evans unresponsive in his bed.

Attempts were made to revive him, but they were unsuccessful, and Evans was pronounced dead. Police located small plastic bags, stamped BAD BUNNY, that contained blue wax paper and a tan material, later determined to be heroin and fentanyl. The ensuing joint investigation by Hatfield Township Police and Montgomery County Detectives found a deadly and near-deadly history involving BAD BUNNY stamped bags of heroin/fentanyl.

The investigation learned the victim had previously overdosed and survived on July 24, 2020 and Sept. 5, 2019, where BAD BUNNY heroin/fentanyl bags had been found. BAD BUNNY heroin/fentanyl bags were also found at the scene of the non-fatal overdose of Rebecca Ennis on Sept. 13, 2019 and her fatal overdose on Dec. 1, 2019, both in her residence in Sellersville.The investigation found that the BAD BUNNY baggies were being sold by the defendant, who was known to both Evans and Ennis’ boyfriend through their employment. BAD BUNNY bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl were also found by Philadelphia Police in Jackson’s car during a traffic stop on Dec. 14, 2019.


Through multiple interviews, cellphone information and video surveillance, detectives learned that Evans had purchased heroin/fentanyl from the defendant two days prior to his death, as well as purchased drugs from Jackson prior to his other non-fatal overdoses.

“The defendant was selling poison and branding it ‘BAD BUNNY.’ And in pursuit of making money, this defendant left a wake of death and destruction behind,” said Steele. “There are far too many lives cut short by overdose deaths, and law enforcement in Montgomery County will continue to be vigilant in holding drug dealers accountable for selling the deadly drugs that kill people.”

The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office performed an autopsy on Evans’ body on Oct. 1, 2020. Following the autopsy and the results of toxicology tests, Forensic Pathologist Dr. Kahlil S. Wardak opined that Evans died from a lethal dose of fentanyl and heroin in his system, and it was a direct and substantial factor in his death.

Jackson was arrested on charges of Drug Delivery Resulting in Death, Possession With Intent to Deliver, Criminal Use of a Communications Facility, Recklessly Endangering Another Person and related charges. He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Edward Levine, who set bail at $250,000 cash. Jackson was unable to make bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. A preliminary hearing was set for April 21, 2021, at 1:45 p.m. before Judge Levine.

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