Waynesburg woman sentenced to 5-10 years for fatal drug delivery
A Waynesburg woman was sentenced to five to 10 years incarceration for providing fentanyl-laced drugs that led to a man’s fatal overdose in 2024.
Tiffany Gump, 29, pleaded no contest in January to drug delivery resulting in death, as well as misdemeanor charges of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, recklessly endangering another person and possession of drug paraphernalia.
She and Jake Finogle, 26, were arrested in June 2024 after the body of Taylor Arthur was found near train tracks on Greene Street in Waynesburg.
During Gump’s preliminary hearing, a Waynesburg officer testified Gump admitted to knowing there was fentanyl in the marijuana provided to Arthur, 25, although she had not been the one to place the drug there.
Greene County of Common Pleas Judge Jeffry Grimes said his sentence for Gump was on the lower end of the guidelines.
A defense request to impose a sentence in the mitigated range “had some merit” but not enough, Grimes said.
He had “no doubt” Gump faced challenges many people don’t. An expert witness for the defense who had been set to testify in Gump’s trial before the plea agreement had determined Gump had intellectual disabilities and was suffering abuse that had led to her being coerced into providing the drugs.
Grimes also acknowledged Gump had since admitted responsibility, and had been well-behaved as an inmate and in court.
At the same time, Grimes said, “it doesn’t get more serious” than causing someone’s death. And he faulted her for not initially admitting her involvement.
“You obviously knew enough to be very deceptive with the interviewers and police, so that tells me where your mind was at,” he said. “You were covering up from the start.”
Grimes said Gump would be allowed to serve out her sentence in the Greene County jail, rather than a state prison.
Gump received credit for time served. She was also sentenced to two years probation.
“We respect the court’s opinion,” Gump attorney James Jeffries said after the sentencing. “We were happy that our expert was able to mitigate down the total amount of time to show that she does have diminished capacity and therefore not really deserving of a life sentence.”
District Attorney Brianna Vanata said she was happy with the judge’s decision.
“Obviously, we want to ensure some type of justice for the family, and given the circumstances surrounding Ms. Gump’s involvement in the incident, we think this is a good outcome,” Vanata said.
Keeping Gump in Greene County could also be beneficial for the prosecution of Finogle, Vanata said. He is scheduled to face trial in June on charges including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit criminal homicide.
“It’s a possibility” that Gump could be called to testify in that trial, Vanata said.