Robert T. Lusk faces Lewis County Superior Court Judge James Lawler this afternoon in Chehalis.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The Chehalis man who provided the heroin that killed 23-year-old Tyson J. Anderson two years ago admitted what he did in court today, and will go to prison.
Robert T. Lusk, 37, has been locked up awaiting trial since his arrest last June.
Anderson died of a drug overdose one night – after he and his girlfriend went out to dinner and then shopping at Wal-Mart – at her apartment in Centralia. It took more than a year, but Centralia police tracked down who he’d gotten it from.
Tyson J. Anderson, April 2013
Lusk pleaded guilty today to controlled substance homicide, clearing his throat slightly before answering the judge, hands cuffed in his lap.
The offense doesn’t include any elements of maliciousness or intent for a person to die. Only that he delivered the heroin to Anderson, that Anderson used the heroin and Anderson died from the heroin.
Anderson was a fairly new drug court participant at the time, and the father of a little girl.
Lusk faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The standard sentencing range that applies, given his criminal history, is 68 to 100 months of incarceration.
In exchange for his guilty plea, Lewis County prosecutors dropped a second charge of delivery of heroin, related to the same incident. Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead indicated to the judge this afternoon, that would have been “folded into it anyway.”
Halstead put in its place one count of first-degree driving with a suspended license, a charge actually out of Thurston County.
Defense attorney Erik Kupka and Halstead scheduled a hearing for sentencing on April 1. They said they have agreed to recommend to the judge at that time that Lusk be given 68 months and one day.
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For background, read “Centralia heroin death leads to criminal charge for person who allegedly supplied the drug” from Wednesday June 11, 2014, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
If someone should be punished for this crime it should be the girlfriend that put the needle in him.
Let alone swear in the process.
As much of a minister as I am a saint……
Good point Free Air….
I doubt a reputable minister would publicly comment and defend heroin dealer.
Makes me wonder, Just exactly what denomination or religion are you a minister of where the Pastoral Confidentiality no longer applies?
To “bagwhore”
You’re the one who has labeled themselves publicly as a whore, noct me. Yes I do know Lusk. As a friend. And a friend only. I am not now nor have I ever been a heroin user. If you must know the friendship tie, I am his minister.
I accept your public apology.
I found this recording about the Centralia PD. and I have heard of these Lowery Creeps before. https://youtu.be/uRcutCq03FM copy and and this link to hear the CPD Liars.
People need to take responsibility for their own actions. the drug dealer doesn’t force anyone to do the drug of choice. It is a personal action. Everyone knows that heroin kills people. There is no out with heroin except dead out. CHOICE,CHOICE,CHOICE
Make me wonder why we talk out are a$$ and say not to blame the drug dealer but to blame the user or addict, yet we are pi$$ed that the insurance companies done cover drug rehab for opiate users? seems a little hypocritical ?
She was in jail waiting to testify against like and I agree with makes me wonder I was a heroin addict for a long time and I knew the chance I took every time I got high also I knew Tyson well he was my friend and I know he knew the risks as well. all the way around the whole situation sucks but I don’t think luck should be charged with any kind of homicide and then they will drop the drug charge it seems backwards
Makes me wonder,
You have all 100% valid points. The lil hussie should be charged also. Where is she now…???
It’s normal for drug dealers to trade sexual favors from women for drugs. I’m guessing Makes Me Wonder knew Lusk at this capacity. Pretty protective of an indigent waste
I would like to appologize for the extraordinarily long posts. I just believe very strongly that this type of charge is ludicrous. To fight the war on drugs, we need to focus on recovery for those who are affected by this terrible disease called addiction, and stop making bullshit excuses for the addicts decisions and actions.
Fun fact: Most insurance companies do not cover drug rehab for opiate users.. Nice, right? Instead let’s just let them die, lock them up, or just sweep them under the rug because out of sight, out of mind right? If we don’t see it it didn’t happen.
Our society is backwards.
Dear bahlsdeep…
What the media has failed to inform it’s audience is that Mr Anderson, knowing of Roberts own addiction, practically stalked him begging for a fix.. How do I know this? Because I had been in Robs presence on an occasion where Tyson had called. Robs reaction at the time was “This kid just won’t give up”. After several attempts to avoid the situation, (days), Rob gave in and brought him what he so desperately wanted, just to make him stop calling.
You and so many others act as if Rob forced the heroin on Tyson, forced him to inject poison into himself… Bullshit. And if the state wants to prosecute the heroin dealer for his death, why not the individual who supplied the needle that he used to shoot up with? Without that, he wouldnt have been able to shoot up!
The “logic” of this case just dumbfounds me.
And why wasnt his girlfriend charged as an accomplice? The first article I read regarding this case had an interview with her stating she saw Roberts vehicle pull up and deliver to Tyson, he came upstairs, she shot him up, then herself, passed out, and when she came to he was dead. In my eyes, sorry to say, the “murderer” here is this kid’s girlfriend for pulling the proverbial trigger.
Robs only offense in this matter is being the “cashier” at the “store” who sold the “ammo” that Tyson loaded into his “gun”, then proceeded to “shoot himself” to death.
I hope you understand my metaphore, as it is a real occurance that happens EVERY DAY in this country. Yet not once have I heard of the salesman being held accountable for selling the weapon that resulted in his customers fatal decision.
Why? Because the clerk and bartenders aren’t accountable for their customers actions. The drunk driver who killed my grampa, my cousin who held a shotgun in his mouth then pulled the trigger, and my drunk driving uncle who fell asleep at the wheel, crashed into a jetty, blew his truck up, ending his life so tragically that his own mother had a hard time identifying his body, are to blame for their own actions.
As are Tysons.
As are every decision you or I make daily, legal or not, regardless of who supplies us with the tools to either make our life right, or fuck it up royally.
It’s time our society takes responsibility for its own actions again and stop playing the blame game. Because the only person to blame, is the one pulling the trigger.
Oh and for Mr. LUSK……. You shit in your bed, now sleep in it.
The comments on this media outlet never seems to disappoint me. We are now giving the green light to dealers and blaming the addicts, where on property crime charges they blame the addiction for the crimes.
Try taking accountability for your actions or associates crimes. Heroin users almost always start with prescription meds and yes, there are dirty doctors to blame for this fun fact. A few in Lewis County I’m sure.
If the shoe fits, wear it.
Lewis County has always been a haven for pedophiles and child abusers.
The light sentences given to those who abuse kids sexually in Lewis County is in direct relation to the sympathy the L.C. Courts have for these monsters.
But, as long as they can continue to sucker the dumb people into believing the real ‘monsters’ are those who choose to put substances into their own bodies, pedophiles will continue getting off with light sentences and sympathy from the courts.
10 years in prison and the guy who just entered an Alford plea for raping a child is facing a whopping 51 months. Something just aint right here.
I agree it is sad that someone died of an overdose but it was their choice to take those drugs. Those deaths are ruled accidental. You could argue they could be ruled suicide as the person willing and intentionally put something in their system that killed them. That would be a bit unreasonable and I think so is this. Charge the guy with distributing sure but homicide?
Again it goes back to my long standing argument of taking personal responsibility for our own actions.
I wonder how our community would have reactedto this case if the headline instead read “Prescribed medication overdose for one leads to prison for another” and the opening paragraph stated “The Chehalis physician who prescribed the suboxone that killed 23-year-old Tyson J. Anderson two years ago admitted what he did in court today, and will go to prison”.
Or how about “The bartender/convenience store clerk who served/sold the final drink/case of beer that led to [name] dying when he totaled his vehicle on [road], with a BAC of 1.2, a year ago admitted guilt and will be heading to prison.”
Ultimately, it IS the addicts fault that he died from an overdose. Nobody forced this guy to put a needle in his arm. Nobody held a gun to his head and made him shoot up. He had a need or want, Robert only supplied him. He would have bought from elsewhere had Mr Lusk not had a supply.
I want a McMuffin. If I choke on it and die, is McDonald’s responsible?
If we are going to hold Robert Lusk accountable for someone else’s death due to their own addiction and actions, then we need to start charging physicians whose patients die of overdose from a prescribed medication; psychiatrists whose patients commit suicide shortly after beginning antidepressants; and of course the bartender at the bar who served the final drink to the person who died on their way home because they were too drunk to drive… or worse yet, kills a family due to their intoxication.
Oh and let’s not forget about the clerk at Sunbirds who sold the gun/ammo to the guy who killed someone or himself…
But, we don’t. Why?? Because our society is so trained to think that physicians, store owners and bartenders aren’t held responsoible, but the individual who commited the act is, based solely on the fact that prescriptions, alcohol and guns/ammo are legal. Heroin, however, is not a legal substance, therefore let’s persecute the dealer and make them an example.
Seriously folks… Replace “dealer” with a legal sounding description and “heroin” with a legal substance… Doesnt sound so evil, does it… Doesn’t sound like a believable case, either…
Maybe because Mr. Anderson was unwilling to take his parental duties seriously enough to NOT do heroin, let alone in a quantity that killed him? Now this little girl doesn’t have a father in her life because it was more important to him to have a fix.
I don’t disagree with Mr. Lusk having a share of responsibility in this case but he’s the symptom, not the cause.
Don’t ‘ you know it’s never the junkies fault?
This really burns me for some reason.