Kidd Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

The former Oswego man convicted of supplying the drugs that killed his girlfriend in March 2010 has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

According to a release from Kendall County State's Attorney Eric Weis, family members of Merrideth Castro were present at Friday's sentencing hearing and provided impact statements to Judge John Barsanti.

“The conviction and sentence is one that is necessary to hopefully send a message that illegal drugs are dangerous and can kill. Merrideth Castro would still be alive if Jason Kidd had not cared enough about his girlfriend of several years to n otgo out and buy this lethal drug for both of them to use.” 

In addition to his prison sentence, Kidd will serve three years of mandatory supervised release. Kidd will be required to serve 75 percent of his total sentence before being eligible for release, Weis stated.

Police responded to a death investigation in the 100 block of Canterbury Court at about 6:30 a.m. March 7, 2010. Castro was found unresponsive and pronounced dead on the scene. An investigation revealed that prior to her death, Castro had taken cocaine purchased by Kidd, police said. Kidd delivered the cocaine to Castro and ingested the drug with her, police said.

An autopsy and toxicology test revealed that she died from an overdose of cocaine and opiate.

Kidd is the first person tried and convicted of drug-induced homicide in Kendall County. The charge targets those who sell, hand or otherwise transfer controlled substances to someone who later dies after ingesting any amount of that substance.

Kidd was convicted Nov. 18.