A Sylvania man found guilty in the involuntary manslaughter of a Perrysburg man is going to prison.

James Anderson II, 26, appeared Friday via video from the jail in the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Joel Kuhlman.

He was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty in November to involuntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony.

According to court documents, he caused the death of Nathan J. Lechner on April 9 after committing drug trafficking.

Lechner, who was 35, was found at his apartment in Perrysburg, and it was determined that he died from an overdose of fentanyl.

Anderson was with him when he overdosed but didn’t call 911 and instead left his friend, said defense attorney Lawrence Gold.

The case is difficult because his client is not a dealer and did not administer the drugs, he said.

But he is a link in the chain, Gold said.

Anderson did not provide the drugs directly but found Lechner in distress but still breathing. He did not call 911 but he did try to breathe for Lechner and keep him alive and claimed he was breathing when he left, Gold said.

If he could go back in time, he would have called 911 and done everything possible to keep his friend alive, Gold said.

Anderson said he took responsibility for his actions.

“It hurts me to know how things could have been different,” he said.

While the plea agreement made with Anderson’s former defense attorney was for five years, Gold asked for a minimum of three years, citing a previous defendant.

Chelsea Joy Socie, who Gold also defended in 2020, was sentenced to three years for involuntary manslaughter after she caused the death of another woman by giving her fentanyl.

Socie’s case went to trial and is now being appealed, Gold said, and asked the court to consider that when sentencing Anderson.

“I think there are some solid similarities there,” he said. “I think Mr. Anderson’s actions were those of a scared addict and he panicked.”

Kuhlman said it was fair to compare this case to Socie’s but there are differences.

“You were present when he was using and was present when he OD’d, you knew there was an issue. But rather than calling 911, you attempted to help on you own,” Kuhlman said.

He said Anderson also sent pictures of the victim to multiple people, which makes no sense and shows he was not looking out for the best interests of his friend.

Anderson must serve a definite sentence of five years and an indefinite maximum term of 7.5 years in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.

He will get credit for time served. Jail records indicate he was arrested July 30.

A charge of tampering with evidence was dismissed.