Jun 7, 2024 By Mike Jones 2 min read

A Washington woman accused of working in conjunction with two other people to sell a deadly batch of fentanyl to a man who overdosed last year will stand trial.

Crystal Carson agreed to have felony charges of drug delivery resulting in death and conspiracy held for court without testimony Thursday in connection with the death of 41-year-old Sean Thomas Caldwell.

Carson and two others – John Stephen Backner and Amber Joy Elcyzyn – are accused of passing along fentanyl-laced cocaine to Caldwell, who ingested it and was found dead Oct. 4 in the bathroom at his mother’s home in Hickory.

Court documents indicate that Backner sold the drugs to Caldwell after they arranged to meet in Chartiers Township hours before his death. Investigators said Backner purchased the drugs from Elcyzyn, who told police that she purchased them from Carson.

Carson, who was jailed without bond following her arrest on May 18, was shackled and wearing prison clothes when she appeared in Washington County Central Court before District Judge Kelly Stewart. Following the hearing, Stewart granted her a $100,000 cash bond at the request of defense attorney Anton Berkovich.

Backner, 57, of Chartiers Township, was charged by Mt. Pleasant Township police on Dec. 18. He is being held at the Washington County jail on $500,000 bond while awaiting trial on charges of drug delivery resulting in death, criminal use of a communication facility and possession with intent to deliver.

Elcyzyn, 36, of Washington, is free on $500,000 unsecured bond while she awaits trial on charges of drug delivery resulting in death, conspiracy and criminal use of a communication facility. She was seated in the gallery during Carson’s hearing and appeared ready to take the witness stand had it gone forward with testimony.

Mt. Pleasant Township police worked alongside the Washington County Drug Task Force investigating Caldwell’s death.