A man who distributed a mixture of heroin and fentanyl to another individual who then overdosed in a convenience store pled guilty on Oct. 15, 2015, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
David Joseph Hudson, age 31, from Hiawatha, Iowa, was convicted of one count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
In a plea agreement, Hudson admitted that in January 2015, he distributed heroin to another individual (identified as R.R.) in a convenience store bathroom. R.R. prepared and injected the heroin in the bathroom, while Hudson was present. Hudson and R.R. left the bathroom and approached the store counter, where R.R. overdosed and collapsed. R.R. was in and out of consciousness until and after paramedics arrived. When R.R. would lose consciousness, his breathing would be slow and paramedics noticed snoring respirations (indicating some sort of airway obstruction). Paramedics eventually administered Narcan, an opiate antidote, after which time R.R. became more alert. Hudson admitted that after R.R. overdosed, he went through R.R.’s pockets, looking for the remaining drugs (which he did not find) and R.R.’s cell phone, which he took before he left the scene. Other people helping to revive R.R. found a small amount of drugs and packaging next to R.R. Laboratory testing of this substance determined it actually contained heroin and another powerful opiate, fentanyl.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Hudson remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Hudson faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information available https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 15-CR-78-LRR.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
