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Man waives hearing in Tamaqua drug death

The third of three people accused to providing a narcotic to a Tamaqua woman who died of an overdose waived his rights to preliminary hearings before District Judge Christina E. Hale of Frackville Wednesday.

Kyle J. Merenda, 22, of Barnesville, faces charges in the April 2 death of Alexandria Sienkiewicz, 23.Sienkiewicz died of acute fentanyl toxicity, according to Schuylkill County coroner David Moylan.The drug, police say, was provided by Merenda.Merenda, who had yet to retain a lawyer as of Wednesday despite the urging of authorities, remains free on $20,000 bail.He is charged with drug delivery resulting in death, delivery of a controlled substance, dealing in unlawful activity, criminal use of a communication facility and possession of a controlled substance.The two other people accused in Sienkiewicz's death are Jonathan J. Seekins, 33, of Coaldale, and Melanie L. Kropp, 24, of Mahanoy City.Seekins is charged with drug delivery resulting in death, criminal solicitation - delivery of controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. He is free on $25,000 straight cash bail.Kropp is charged with criminal solicitation - delivery of a controlled substance, criminal use of a communication facility and possession of a controlled substance. She was released on $5,000 unsecured bail.According to court documents filed by state trooper Joseph W. Hall of the Frackville barracks, Kropp drove them to Merenda's house, where Seekins gave Merenda the $120 in exchange for what the three thought was heroin. They went back to Seekins' house, where Seekins gave Kropp 10 bags of the drug for driving, and gave five bags to Sienkiewicz.Kropp and Sienkiewicz drove back to Tamaqua, where sometime between 2:30 a.m. and 11 a.m., Sienkiewicz's mother found her in bed, unresponsive, a needle in her arm.