Grand Forks man accused in two-year-old’s overdose pleads not guilty

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Valley News Live) - A Grand Forks man accused of playing a role in his two-year-old’s suspected fentanyl overdose is pleading not guilty. He waived his preliminary hearing on June 12 and is expected to be in court again August 24.

Court documents say 34-year-old Alexander Lee Gothberg was arrested on April 28, after he called 911 and said his daughter had overdosed on fentanyl.

Gothberg was charged with child endangerment, child neglect, possession of fentanyl and possession of drug paraphernalia. An additional 14 felony charges were filed against Gothberg in a separate case Tuesday, May 9.

Court documents say during a search of Gothberg’s home, officers found suspected fentanyl, meth, marijuana, ketamine, Vyvanse, alprazolam, diazepam, Xanax, clonazepam, tapentadol, Dilaudid and carisoprodol.

There were also digital scales, two cell phones, a handgun and about $700 in cash. Documents say Gothberg admitted to selling marijuana, as well as fentanyl, but said he hadn’t done so for a few months.

Gothberg’s additional felony charges include child endangerment, possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver, possession of a schedule II stimulant with intent to deliver, possession of a schedule II opiate with intent to deliver, child neglect, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of meth, three counts of possession of a schedule IV depressant, possession of a schedule III depressant, possession of a schedule II opiate and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Gothberg already waived the preliminary hearing in his first case. However, the second case is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on June 12.

A similar case took place in East Grand Forks just two months ago. A man and woman were arrested in connection to the opioid overdose of a young child.

Court documents say 25-year-old Taylor Paul and 24-year-old Samantha Jacquemart were arrested on March 9, after they called the police about a choking two-year-old. Officers later determined the two-year-old was not choking, but overdosing on fentanyl.

Both Jacquemart and Paul were charged in Polk County Court with endangerment of a child, as well as second and third-degree controlled substance crime charges, as the apartment they both sell and use drugs in is within 300 feet of the Sacred Heart Elementary and High School, which is a prohibited zone.

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