Maryland Man Sentenced To 25 Years For Selling Heroin That Led To 6 Overdoses, 3 Deaths
HARRISONBURG, Va. - A Maryland man, who authorities said was responsible for selling heroin that led to at least six overdoses in the Winchester, Virginia, area, three of which were fatal, was sentenced today in federal court.
Christopher Rojuan Giles, a.k.a. “C” and “Charlie,” 28, of Randallstown, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to a one count Information charging him with conspiracy to distribute more than 1,000 grams of heroin, which resulted in six overdoses, more than 280 grams of cocaine (“crack”), and powder cocaine. Giles admitted that between February 2013 and October 2014, he and other members of the conspiracy conspired to distribute these drugs in and around Winchester, Virginia, and elsewhere, including West Virginia.
Today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Harrisonburg, Giles was sentenced to 25 years in Federal prison.
“The sentencing of Mr. Giles today ends a tragedy that played out in our communities in Western Virginia, affecting dozens of families and loved ones of his victims. Mr. Giles will now face the consequences of his actions. Prescription opioids like OxyContin and hydrocodone are fueling the demand for heroin. This addiction is tearing the fibers of our communities, of our families apart. This investigation is just one of many that exemplify drug law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and dismantle drug trafficking organizations, like Mr. Giles’ organization, responsible for fueling heroin addiction and overdose deaths,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Karl C. Colder.
“Heroin is destroying families and communities all across the Commonwealth and only through the type of cooperative law enforcement we are seeing in places like Winchester and up and down the Shenandoah Valley will we in the law enforcement community begin to make progress in putting an end to this tragic epidemic,” United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. said today.
“This case is an example of what can be accomplished with the cooperative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, and the United States Attorney’s Office,” Virginia State Police Supervisory Special Agent Jay Perry, coordinator of the Task Force, said. “The hundreds of investigative hours that were put into this case resulted in multiple convictions of heroin dealers both locally and from the Baltimore, Maryland area. Tragically, this investigation, like many others, began with a fatal overdose. Through the diligent efforts of investigators and prosecutors we were able to identify and target the larger scale dealers from Baltimore that were supplying our region.”
According to evidence presented at previous hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth G. Wright, Giles, who operated in various locations in and around Baltimore, Maryland, was a major source of heroin for lower-level dealers and heroin users in the Winchester area. Evidence presented also proved that the heroin Giles distributed led to at least six heroin overdoses, including three fatal overdoses. The overdoses include the death of T.R.C. on November 17, 2013, the death of R.F.L. on March 19-20, 2014, the overdose of J.H.H. on March 21, 2014, the overdose of B.D.W. on April 5, 2014, the overdose of G.R.F. on September 5, 2014, and the death of B.E.W. on October 10, 2014.
As part of his plea, Giles specifically admitted he provided the heroin that led to the non-fatal
overdoses of J.H.H. and B.D.W. and the fatal overdose of R.F.L., as noted above, in March and April 2014. Three other defendants, Colin Patrick Butler, 31, of Cross Junction, Virginia, David Josueh Medina, 35, of Cross Junction, Virginia, and Eric Keith Pennington, 33, of Middletown, Virginia, have previously been sentenced in federal court based upon the overdose of J.H.H. Two other defendants, Stephanie Diane Alkire, 23, of Winchester, Virginia, and Donna Jean Jenkins, 37, of Winchester, Virginia, have previously been sentenced in federal court based upon the overdose of B.D.W. Two other defendants, Scott Matthew Pierce, 45, of Stephens City, Virginia, and Brandy Dawn Kelly, 37, of Stephens City, Virginia, have previously been sentenced in federal court based upon the overdose of R.F.L.
One other defendant, Warren Evans, Jr., 39, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, has entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 1,000 grams of heroin, more than 280 grams of crack, and powder cocaine, and conspiracy to distribute heroin that resulted in the fatal overdose of R.F.L.
At sentencing, Evans faces a statutory penalty of between 20 years and life in prison. The investigation of these cases was conducted by the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration, Winchester Resident Office. The Task Force includes law enforcement from the counties of Frederick, Clarke, Shenandoah, Warren and Page as well as the cities and towns of Winchester, Front Royal and Strasburg, and the Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth G. Wright prosecuted the cases for the United States.
