Assistant U. S. Attorneys Timothy Coughlin (619) 546-6768 and Larry Casper (619) 546-6734
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY - Feb. 12, 2020
SAN DIEGO - Maxwell Joseph Gaffney of Ramona was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael M. Anello to 20 years in prison for distributing the heroin that caused the death of his 23-year-old acquaintance, Kyle Rodriguez, on Feb. 17, 2017.
Gaffney was convicted by a federal jury on June 24, 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, Rodriguez had returned home after an evening spent with friends. He locked himself in the family bathroom, where he ingested heroin by heating it over tin foil and inhaling the smoke, a method known as “chasing the dragon." According to a government expert who testified at trial, “chasing the dragon" is one of the most dangerous and lethal ways of using heroin.
The overdose death was a shock to his parents, who believed Rodriguez was well on his way to a productive and happy life after almost 10 months of being clean, being gainfully employed and having a girlfriend who cared deeply for him. That night, Rodriguez’s girlfriend and parents discovered Rodriguez in the bathroom unconscious. First responders were unable to revive Rodriguez. Sheriff’s deputies observed drug paraphernalia and heroin residue near his body.
Investigators found text messages between Rodriguez and Gaffney indicating that Gaffney supplied heroin to Rodriguez on the evening of Feb. 16, 2017, and Rodriguez had driven to Gaffney’s residence to purchase the heroin. Gaffney, who had a felony drug conviction when he was 19, was known to law enforcement as a heroin dealer. Thereafter Gaffney was contacted by law enforcement a number of times related to his criminal conduct. The investigation also revealed that Gaffney continued to sell heroin even after learning that Rodriguez overdosed and died.
“This case is a tragedy for two families," said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “One young man who had achieved 10 months of sobriety and was well on his way to a new life, has lost it. And today, with this sentence, another young man is spending a significant portion of his in prison. And their families are left with nothing but sorrow. For this reason, we will do all that we can to save other families from this fate. We will continue to aggressively fight the grip that opioids have on our country by pursuing cases against those who distribute the drugs that are causing an overdose crisis in our community. No parent should have their child taken from them by this scourge."
The government’s sentencing papers noted that the Rodriguez family no longer has a son and a brother and they seek justice for a life cut short so that other families will not have to experience the same tragedy and grief they have endured. In a letter to the judge, Sheila Scruggs, the mother of Rodriguez, wrote, “There is not a day that goes by I don’t think of him. I feel like I’m in a nightmare that I can never wake up from. Everytime I close my eyes, I’m taken back to that moment of seeing my son on the floor of our bathroom, blue and lifeless. I can hear myself yelling his name begging him to please take a breath. As a nurse, I have saved countless lives, but that early morning of Feb. 17, 2017, I was unable to save my own child and I will have to live with that daily."
Kyle Rodriguez’s sister, Kendra Bodkins, told the court at today’s hearing that her “social, funny and smart" brother, a motocross racer, became addicted to painkillers after his foot was crushed by an off-road vehicle. This addiction led him to heroin. “My brother never wanted to grow up to be a heroin addict. We didn’t have a broken family. We had it all and it was just a series of unfortunate events that led him down that path. But he was an amazing person, always willing to help anyone out. And he had a huge heart. This drug is constantly ruining lives and ripping families apart every single day. So I hope people can learn from our tragedy and think twice before they start using or even think about relapsing…or selling this drug."
In July 2017, after the death of Kyle Rodriguez and others, the Sheriff's Department initiated the first overdose death response team to investigate these types of cases. Since then, a multi-agency team was created in San Diego and hosted by the Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate and prosecute overdose death cases in San Diego. The Sheriff's Department and other local law enforcement entities have delegated resources to that effort and have helped to pursue critical evidence in overdose death cases. The Sheriff's Department is working aggressively to remove these dangerous drugs from the streets and hold heroin, fentanyl and other illicit drug dealers accountable for endangering the lives of others.
“The San Diego County Sheriff's Department will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure those responsible for distributing illegal drugs are held accountable," said Lt. Michael McNeill of the Sheriff's Ramona Substation. “Today's sentencing represents a significant victory in the fight against the opioid epidemic."
DEFENDANT Case Number 17-cr-3330-MMA
Maxwell Joseph Gaffney Age: 26 Ramona, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGE TO WHICH DEFENDANT FOUND GUILTY AFTER TRIAL
Distribution of Heroin Resulting in Death - Title 21 U.S.C. Section 841(b)(1)(C)
Maximum Penalty - Mandatory minimum 20 years to a maximum of life in prison
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
San Diego Medical Examiner’s Office
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
