Oconto man charged in heroin death

Charges may be pending in other overdose deaths, officials say
By: 
Warren Bluhm
Editor-in-chief

An Oconto man has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide in the drug overdose death of an Oconto Falls man, and law enforcement officials say more charges are possible in connection with other deaths.

Oconto County Judge Jay N. Conley set bail at $75,000 cash for Jason T. Lipp, 34, during a brief court appearance on April 21. He is due back in court on May 13.

A man identified in the criminal complaint as B.S.S. was found dead in his Oconto Falls home by his son Aug. 2, 2020. An autopsy indicated the man died of a “mixed drug overdose” including levels of heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, duloxetine and zolpidem.

The son told authorities his father was in pain and sought to purchase heroin from Lipp, the complaint said. Investigators talked with another man in December, who told Brown County authorities he bought heroin from Lipp and went into convulsions after taking it.

When he woke up, Lipp allegedly told the man, “I knew I shouldn’t have sold you some of that stuff, old dude in Oconto died from it.”

District Attorney Edward Burke told the Oconto County Board on April 22 that the city of Oconto has recently seen two overdose deaths and one in the city of Oconto Falls, “and it’s all the same person.” Lipp has only been charged in connection with one death so far.

Sheriff Todd Skarban said officials in Brown and Oconto counties are working together to trace the path of the deadly drugs to their source.