Franceso Ziegler told a judge that he wants to take responsibility for his friend Christopher Holleran’s 2019 overdose death.

But Holleran’s family said that two years earlier, Ziegler denied any involvement in the overdose and couldn’t even bother to attend his 28-year-old friend’s funeral.

Ziegler, 30, of Irwin was sentenced Monday to serve three years on probation and up to two years on house arrest after he pleaded guilty to one felony drug charge. The sentence was part of a plea deal that saw the prosecution dismiss a more serious offense of drug delivery resulting in death in connection with Holleran’s fatal overdose.

“Chris thought Frank was his friend. Frank only led Chris down a path that led us here today,” Holleran’s sister, Erika Balenciaga, testified.

She described Ziegler as her brother’s best friend and said that upon hearing the news of his death, he claimed he had no information about what happened. Ziegler even attended Holleran’s viewing and was asked to be a pallbearer, but he did not attend the funeral the next day.

“Without Frank, Chris may be here today. He needed a friend who would listen to him and help,” Balenciaga said.

Holleran’s live-in girlfriend, who had given birth to their first child just two months before his death, said she unsuccessfully tried keep the men apart. Holleran, of Greensburg, had been sober for about a year before he relapsed, she told Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani.

“I warned Chris not to associate with Frank, but Chris said he couldn’t abandon Frank at his lowest point,” Cassandra Kozlowski testified.

Family members said they wanted to see Ziegler serve time behind bars.

“This is imperfect, there is no doubt about it,” said Assistant District Attorney Jim Lazar. “This ensures justice and ensures fairness.”

Prosecutors said Ziegler served as a middle man who helped arrange the purchase of fentanyl-laced heroin Holleran bought the day before his overdose. According to court records, Ziegler provided Holleran with contact information for the two people who drove to a Monroeville gas station for the transaction.

Earlier this year, Hollie Ann Schreiber, 41, now of Jeannette, pleaded guilty to counts of drug delivery resulting in death and conspiracy for her role in Holleran’s overdose and was sentenced to serve at least one year in jail.

Andrew Hohn, 35, of Hempfield, who police said drove with Schreiber to buy the drugs, pleaded guilty in October to drug delivery resulting in death and conspiracy counts and was sentenced to serve 5 to 10 years in prison.

After prompting from the judge, Ziegler apologized for his role in his friend’s overdose.

“The word sorry doesn’t ever begin to describe how I feel about this. Me and Chris were dealing with the same demons at that time,” Ziegler said.

Ziegler was ordered to participate in a drug recovery treatment program. The house arrest component of the penalty could be reduced to one year if he remains compliant with terms of his sentence.

“There is so much more you could have done,” Feliciani said.

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