3rd of five defendants convicted in fentanyl death in Ripon

The third of five defendants facing charges related to a fentanyl overdose death in Ripon has been convicted.

According to Fond du Lac County District Attorney Eric Toney who tried the case, along with Assistant District Attorney David Maas, 23-year-old Michael Manske pleaded no contest to all four charges against him Tuesday, September 10, 2024, including first-degree reckless homicide.

The charges stemmed from Manske’s role in an April 7, 2023 fentanyl drug death in the City of Ripon. According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 6:30 AM, officers with the Ripon Police Department were dispatched to the area of Scott and Stanton Streets for the report of a man lying on the sidewalk. Upon arrival, officers located a deceased 18-year-old man.

Through investigation, it was learned the 18-year old was doing drugs with two of the defendants in the case in a house on Scott Street. When he started to overdose, the two men brought him outside and left him on the sidewalk rather than call for help.