Monte Wayne Wisecup
GEORGETOWN, Ohio — It was Nov. 19, 2022 around 1:30 a.m. when an inmate at Brown County Jail alerted corrections officers that his cell mate, Joshua R. Oetzel, 40, of Bethel, was suffering a medical emergency.
Corrections officers at the jail and sheriff deputies responded and initiated life saving measures, but Oetzel was later pronounced dead after being transported to Mount. Orab Mercy Hospital.
An investigation was conducted into the death of Oetzel, which resulted in Monte Wayne Wisecup, 34, of Vanceburg, being indicted on charges of involuntary manslaughter (first-degree felony), trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound (fifth-degree felony), corrupting another with drugs (second-degree felony), and illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a specified governmental facility (third-degree felony).
According to court documents, Wisecup knowingly, by any means, allegedly administered or furnished Joshua Oetzel with a controlled substance.
The indictment states that Wisecup “did cause the death of Joshua Oetzel and such death was the proximate result of Monte Wisecup committing or attempting to commit the felony offense of illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto grounds of a specified governmental facility.”
On Feb. 13, Wisecup was arrested by the Pike County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office on charges related to the death of Oetzel, and arrangements were made to have him extradited back to the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, according to Brown County Sheriff Gordon Ellis.
Oetzel was being held at Brown County Jail in 2022 after being indicted on charges of designing a vehicle with a hidden compartment used to transport a controlled substance, aggravated trafficking in drugs, possession of drugs, and possession of a fentanyl-related compound.
Wisecup, formerly of Aberdeen, was previously indicted on charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle on July 14, 2022.