LOS ANGELES _ Ed Buck, who was indicted last year in connection with the overdose deaths of two Black men in his West Hollywood apartment, now faces four additional charges for allegedly distributing drugs over nearly a decade and enticing two people to engage in prostitution.
A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment Tuesday, expanding upon allegations that Buck, a once prominent Democratic Party donor, provided the drugs that led to the 2017 overdose of Gemmel Moore and the 2019 overdose of Timothy Dean.
Buck, 65, now faces a total of nine counts against him in federal court. He also faces additional charges in state court in connection with similar allegations of running a drug den.
His defense attorney, Christopher Darden, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
The new indictment alleges that from 2011 to 2019 _ a far longer period than was previously alleged by federal prosecutors _ Buck used his apartment in West Hollywood to distribute methamphetamine, clonazepam and the party drug GHB, gamma hydroxybutyric acid.
Buck was previously charged with providing the drugs that led to Moore's overdose death, but the new indictment also accuses him of enticing and inducing Moore to travel across state lines to Los Angeles to engage in prostitution on July 17, 2017.
After Moore's death _ which drew headlines and outrage among community members _ Buck is accused of enticing a second person, on Sept. 22, 2018, to travel across state lines to engage in prostitution, according to the new charges. Federal prosecutors allege that Buck provided methamphetamine to that person, who is identified in court papers only by initials.
The new indictment largely repeats the allegations returned by a grand jury last year: that Buck "engaged in a pattern of soliciting men to consume drugs that (he) provided" and perform sex acts at his West Hollywood apartment. Authorities allege he solicited victims on social media, including the gay dating platform Adam4Adam, and relied on a so-called recruiter to scout and proposition men on his behalf.
At his apartment, Buck is accused of injecting victims with syringes containing methamphetamine _ with or without their consent _ and also providing them with more narcotics than they expected to ingest, according to court documents. Sometimes, the documents said, Buck provided drugs to victims who were unconscious.
Buck remains in federal custody without bond. His trial is scheduled to begin in January 2021.
