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June 17, 2008

More charges filed in connection with teen OD

Self-admitted addict says he gave victim a painkiller

By ANDREA VanVALKENBURG

PLATTSBURGH -- Scott Miller didn't utter a word when he reappeared in court Monday morning to face drug charges in a local teen's overdose death.

The 29-year-old Plattsburgh man was initially arrested on two felony drug charges shortly after Julia E. Del Signore, 17, was found dead June 6 in the apartment of her boyfriend, Michael Warren.

A few days later, authorities lodged four additional drug charges against him in connection with his alleged possession of more than $65,000 worth of illegal prescriptions.

Plattsburgh City Police said that when authorities searched Miller's Clinton Street apartment they found a large quantity of OxyContin and Dilaudid painkillers, the kind of prescription medicines police believe Miller gave to the teen before she accidentally overdosed and died hours later.

According to City Court records, Miller told police Del Signore had unexpectedly come to his home looking for cocaine.

After telling her he didn't have any, Miller said, she kept persisting, so he gave her a painkiller "to shut her up and get her to leave."

He said he bought the prescriptions on the street because he's "addicted to pills and opiates."

Warren said his girlfriend had been using an array of substances before she died. The 19-year-old said Del Signore used prescriptions earlier in the day and became increasingly agitated, wanting more cocaine, prescriptions and over-the-counter cold medicine.

Warren said that by the time they went back to his Seth Square apartment, Del Signore was tired and "wanted to sleep."

He said that when he woke up the next morning, she wasn't breathing and felt cold. Warren told police he tried to perform CPR to revive her and yelled for someone to call 911.

Before help arrived, Warren said, he hid the hypodermic needles they used to shoot up the prescriptions because he thought Del Signore would be OK and didn't want to get them in trouble.

About a week after her death, police arrested Warren on a felony charge of tampering with evidence and lesser counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

He was arraigned on the charges and released from custody last week after posting $5,000 cash bail. Warren is expected to reappear in court July 2 to face the charges.

Miller's case was adjourned until June 30. He remains behind bars at Clinton County Jail on $65,000 cash bail or $130,000 bond.

Officials are waiting for toxicology results to determine the exact cause of Del Signore's death.

It could take several weeks for them to make their final determination.

avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com

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