Credit: Bucks County District Attorney’s Office
A Falls Township man is facing charges related to the overdose death of a woman earlier this year.
Michael Christopher Santangelo, 27, was arraigned Friday afternoon on charges of drug delivery resulting in death, reckless endangerment, involuntary manslaughter and related offenses.
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Santangelo is charged in connection to the March death of Amanda Risko, 24. She was found dead of an overdose on March 23 inside her home in the 100 block of Taylor Drive in the Fallsington section of Falls Township. An autopsy revealed she had a mix of combination of fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, hydroxyzine, and cocaine in her system.
Santangelo allegedly told police Risko contacted him and asked him to purchase 10 bags of heroin with fentanyl and crack cocaine, which he bought from Terrence “Hood” Ridley, 24, of Trenton, in New Jersey’s capital city. Ridley was later charged with drug delivery resulting in death, possession with intent to deliver controlled substances, involuntary manslaughter, and related offenses. He is currently in the Bucks County Correctional Facility awaiting trial.
A male friend of Ricko’s met with Santangelo in Fallsington and collected the drugs, police said.
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In court papers, authorities said Risko, who had recently returned from rehab, used the drugs that were labeled “Rolex” when her male friend went to work on March 22. He returned later to find her dead of an overdose. Two packets labeled “Rolex” empty near her, police said.
Investigators reported that Santangelo was later able to purchase drugs in Trenton following Risko’s death and provide samples to Falls Township police and the Bucks County Detectives.
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Risko, according to her obituary, was born in Bristol Township and graduated from Pennsbury High School. She spent time enjoying summers in Cape Cod and she was passionate about music.
Santangelo was released on $50,000 unsecured bail.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
