Greenbelt, Maryland - Russell Edward Johnson, age 23, of Lusby, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to distributing heroin to a person who died as a result of ingesting the heroin.
The plea agreement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans; and Calvert County State’s Attorney Laura Martin.
According to his plea agreement, on July 18, 2013 in St. Leonard, Maryland, Johnson sold heroin to an individual who ingested the heroin. A few hours later, Johnson again sold heroin to the individual. The individual ingested the additional heroin, and died shortly thereafter. The victim’s cause of death was determined to be heroin intoxication.
Johnson and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Johnson will be sentenced to between 10 and 12 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has scheduled sentencing for June 18, 2015, at 1:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA, Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, and Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Ridge of the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office, for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Arun G. Rao and Daniel C. Gardner, who are prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
