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Ventura Man Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter For Heroin Overdose Death

VENTURA (CBSLA.com) — A 23-year-old Ventura man was in custody Friday on an involuntary manslaughter charge related to the death of a man who overdosed on heroin.

Matthew Slough was charged Wednesday with selling the drugs to 32-year-old Michael Zermeno in February, according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

Zermeno overdosed on Feb. 9 at his home in the 6200 block of Freemont Court, officials said. He never regained consciousness and died two days later in the hospital.

Officials determined Zermeno obtained the drugs from Slough who was arrested at his home Feb. 27 for selling heroin. He secured bail and was released from custody on March 17.

While investigators from the Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit (PCU) continued to gather evidence relating Slough to Zermeno's death, they received information he was connected to unlawful firearm activities.

Both Slough and his father 50-year-old Troy Slough were arrested July 31 for weapons and narcotics violations after several firearms were located inside their residence, including two manufactured zip guns as well as homemade silencers and high capacity magazines. A concentrated cannabis manufacturing lab was also discovered and both the men were under the influence of a controlled substance at the time of arrest, authorities said.

Troy Slough
(credit: Ventura County Sheriff's Dept)

They were booked at the Ventura County Jail before Troy Slough was later released pending a future court date.

His son remains in custody, and in addition to involuntary manslaughter, he was also charged with an enhancement of causing great bodily injury or death in the commission of dealing heroin. Slough faces several years in state prison.

 

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