Chicago man accused of supplying fatal dose of drugs to Naperville man

CHICAGO — Pre-trial release has been denied for a Chicago man accused of supplying a fatal dose of drugs to a Naperville man in early 2023.

Christopher Hobson, a 38-year-old Bronzeville resident, has been charged with three counts of drug-induced homicide, and two felony counts of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, according to DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin.

The charges stem from an incident that prosecutors say unfolded in February of 2023 when Hobson allegedly provided a 33-year-old Naperville man with a fatal dose of fentanyl and alprazolam.

Prosecutors say on Feb. 20, the victim arranged to receive illegal narcotics from Hobson and received them through an unidentified third party, allegedly at the direction of Hobson, the next day.

According to prosecutors, the victim ingested the narcotics and later died from a drug overdose.

On Feb. 22, the victim was found unresponsive inside his home and subsequently pronounced dead.

During an investigation, prosecutors said authorities found numerous bags containing illegal narcotics inside the victim’s home.

An autopsy later determined that the victim died from the combined drug intoxication of fentanyl, alprazolam, phenobarbital, and fluoxetine.

Prosecutors said the victim had been prescribed phenobarbital and fluoxetine.

Following further investigation by Naperville Police, it was determined that Hobson had allegedly provided the victim with the fatal dose of fentanyl and alprazolam.

DuPage County Judge George Ford issued an arrest warrant for Hobson on April 4, 2024, and he was eventually taken into custody in Chicago on July 17, and returned to DuPage County to face the charges against him.

Berlin announced Friday that Judge Joshua Dieden granted the States’s motion to deny pre-trial release for Hobson.

“The tragic death of the victim is yet another terrible reminder of the extreme danger illegal narcotics, particularly fentanyl, continue to be in our communities,” Berlin said. “Losing someone close to you is hard enough but to lose a beloved family member so suddenly and unnecessarily can have a crippling, long-lasting effect on not just the immediate family, but also on surviving friends and relatives.

Hobson is set to appear in court for arraignment on Monday, Aug. 12.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.