Rantoul man pleads guilty to drug-induced Bloomington homicide

Posted on November 9, 2018

Troy McBride, 24, Rantoul is scheduled to be sentenced December 28 for his guilty plea to the drug-induced homicide of James Dingman, who died in Bloomington earlier this year. (Bloomington Police photo)

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – McLean County prosecutors have agreed to limit the sentence of a Champaign County man to a maximum 14 years in prison for his guilty plea to a drug-induced homicide that happened here in March.

Troy McBride, 24, of Rantoul pleaded guilty to the charge Friday in front of Judge Scott Drazewski, and is scheduled to be sentenced December 28.

McBride admitted supplying controlled substances that James Dingman ingested, causing his death. Authorities found Dingman unresponsive in an apartment in the 2200 block of Todd Drive.

McLean County Coroner Kathy Davis determined Dingman, 41, died from an overdose of heroin and the painkilling opioid fentanyl.

Prosecutors agreed to dismiss a half-dozen drug charges against McBride, who will have to serve 75 percent of his prison sentence.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…