Youngwood man to remain in jail to await drug delivery resulting in death trial

A Youngwood man will remain in jail to await trial on a charge that he delivered drugs to a woman who died from an overdose in August 2019.

Matthew Thomas Caughey pleaded for his release during a court hearing Tuesday as he asked Westmoreland County Judge Christopher Feliciani to be released to undergo treatment for drug addiction.

“You have my word, and I know my word means nothing to you, but I’m 48 years old and have a daughter. You will not see my name in a bad report,” Caughey said.

He and another man, Julian Cancro, 38, of Greensburg were charged with one count of drug delivery resulting in death following the fatal overdose of Darice R. Franke, 48. Police said Franke was found unresponsive on Cancro’s bathroom floor with two empty stamp bags of heroin and a hypodermic needle lying nearby. She died the next day, according to court records. Police contend Caughey and Cancro drove together to Wilkinsburg to purchase the drugs used in the fatal overdose.

Caughey initially was released from jail and placed on house arrest in 2019. He was re-incarcerated after authorities said he overdosed at his parents home and attempted to pass off clean urine as his own to beat a drug test administered by his pretrial probation officer.

Feliciani would not release Caughey, saying he was concerned about a potential relapse and overdose. The judge also said he would not authorize Caughey, at this time, to attend a pretrial inpatient drug treatment program and cited recent issues with three defendants enrolled in the county’s drug court program who fled from a transport van en route from the jail to a rehabilitation center.

“This disease causes people to take desperate acts,” Feliciani said.

The judge ordered Caughey to undergo a third drug and alcohol evaluation and said he would consider future requests to modify his bond.

Caughey rejected a potential guilty plea on Tuesday. Defense attorney Richard Galloway told the judge there is a viable defense at trial.

Assistant District Attorney Judy Petrush said prosecutors would seek a sentence of four years in state prison if Caughey is convicted.

Caughey and Cancro, who is free on a $10,000 unsecured bond, will be tried together. The trial is tentatively scheduled to begin in April.