MCSO: Drug distributor possibly overdosed on fentanyl in Theodore

MOBILE, Ala (WPMI) — 21-year-old Nicholas Zerlot died from a possible fentanyl overdose Friday morning in Theodore. Through their investigation, the sheriff's office discovered Zerlot had picked up the drugs in Mississippi and distributed it to people before trying the drugs himself. Law enforcement is now warning people who may have picked up from Zerlot not to consume or sell the tainted drugs.

"It's truly Russian Roulette. You may take one pill and be fine and the next one kills you," says MCSO Captain Paul Burch.

The sheriff's office responded to a possible overdose this morning involving fentanyl in Theodore. They found 21-year-old Nicholas Zerlot dead.

Captain Paul Burch tells me Zerlot picked up drugs in Mississippi and distributed them here. The same drugs that took his life.

"If anybody who's watching this came to this house this morning, because we were told by neighbors there's a large number of people coming and going and picked up something either pills or powder anything that could contain fentanyl in it, please don't consume it and don't sell it because we already have 1 death as a result of this product and if it gets out on the street there could potentially be more," says Burch.

Burch says in Mobile County, we're seeing an increased presence of fentanyl.

"We're seeing more and more and more of it, and I think we're going to see more and more deaths unfortunately unless people take heed and don't use it," says Burch.

Children's toys could be seen in the front yard of Zerlot’s house. Burch says a one-year-old child was in the house.

"Just wandering around and could've touched any of this could've consumed any of this,” says Burch.

Neighbor Patricia Edmundson says she's lived there for over 11 years and has never seen anything like this.

“This is ridiculous our young people dying. Teens. This young man was 21 years old. It's ridiculous," says Edmundson.

Another neighbor agreed.

"It’s really taking our young generations. It's really sad and I just hope they finally do something about it," says the neighbor.

"You can always come out of a bust, but you can't come out of death. Young people they better realize that before they end up like that young 21-year-old Nicholas. He's dead," says Edmundson.

Burch says if you suspect drug activity going on near you, notify the sheriff’s office.