UPDATE: Mistrial declared in fentanyl overdose death case

Greg Collins in court for his trial; inset Peter Miltner, top right, and Robert Rawson. (Rochester Voice photos; Robert Rawson Courtesy)

DOVER - The jury in the trial of a Milton man accused of supplying fentanyl that killed a Rochester man last year said today it was "deeply divided" over reaching a verdict with no hope of coming to a unanimous decision, resulting in a mistrial.

Judge Mark Howard officially declared the mistrial around 2:30 p.m., two hours after the jury first said they were unable to come in with a verdict. At that point, Howard urged them to keep trying, but to no avail.

Gregory Collins, 38, of Lord Lane, is charged with acts prohibited, death resulting, a Special Felony that carries a possible life sentence.

Howard said the court would attempt over time to find out from jurors what were the issues that kept them from a unanimous guilty or not guilty verdict, but was releasing them today.

Robert Rawson II, 28, of Rochester, died on Feb. 15, 2018, in Rochester after ingesting fentanyl allegedly supplied by Collins and another man, Peter Miltner, 28, of 14 Brookfield Drive, Rochester.

According to the indictment documents, both Miltner and Collins are accused of "dispensing a quantity of ... fentanyl to Richard Rawson, and subsequently Rawson ingested the drug and died."

Much of the evidence in the case relied on digital communication made over Facebook messenger and in text messages, with the only direct evidence coming from Miltner who testified that Collins supplied the drug that he delivered to Rawson's room at the Greenwood Inn on Feb. 15, 2018.

Miltner is spending four to eight years in prison for his part in Rawson's death.