Youngstown man pleads guilty to selling heroin that caused fatal overdose

A Youngstown man pleaded guilty to selling heroin that resulted in a fatal overdose, said Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.

Shayne Mascarella, 23, is scheduled to be sentenced June 21. He distributed heroin that directly resulted in the July 19, 2015 death in Youngstown of a person identified in the court documents as L.Z.

“Heroin has caused an unprecedented wave of death, pain and destruction in Ohio,” U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon said. “No corner of the state is immune. Only though aggressive law enforcement -- combined with education and prevention efforts, changes in prescribing practices and making treatment available to those who want help -- can we turn the tide on the opioid epidemic.”

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason M. Katz and David M. Toepfer. The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mahoning Valley Violent Crimes Task Force and the Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force, which includes representatives from the Boardman Police Department, the Youngstown Police Department, the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and others.