Law Enforcement Officials Announce Results of Heroin Investigations

HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA – Acting United States Attorney Anthony P. Giorno, along with officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, announced today three significant case results in the ongoing effort to combat the rising use and abuse of heroin.

In separate hearings today in the United States District Court, two local defendants were sentenced for distributing heroin that led to fatal overdoses while a third defendant, a Baltimore man who authorities identified as a major source of heroin in the Winchester region, pled guilty to a drug trafficking conspiracy that led to at least six heroin overdoses, three of which were fatal.

“The positive outcomes in these cases highlight the tireless efforts by law enforcement in this area to combat the epidemic of heroin overdoses that continues to torment the region and that has been spreading across the country,” Acting United States Attorney Anthony P. Giorno said today.  “We will continue to pursue these important cases and will target the sources of this heroin both locally and elsewhere.  These efforts supplement our continuing support for education, prevention and treatment programs that are similarly necessary to the success of our endeavors to combat heroin use and abuse in the region.”

“Heroin is not just a “big city” problem as evident in today’s sentencing announcements. Mr. Giles led a complex heroin trafficking network, controlling numerous drug dealers and drug users. Mr. Giles brought this lethal drug into the community of peaceful Winchester, Virginia, robbing people of their lives,” said Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “I say to drug dealers like Mr. Giles, there are no winners in this life and death game you have chosen to play. You will lose and pay a severe price for your actions. The announcement today is the result of the partnership between DEA agents, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force and the United States Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Virginia. We will continue our work with our law enforcement partners and the community, every day, combating these dangerous drug trafficking organizations.”

“These cases were investigated from overdoses in the Northern Shenandoah Valley Region that are continuing to lead to significant suppliers in Baltimore, Maryland, thanks to a cooperative effort with the DEA, the United States Attorney’s Office and the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug and Gang Task Force,” Virginia State Police Special Agent Jay Perry, Coordinator of the Task Force, said today.  “Our combined efforts are bringing and will continue to bring large scale dealers from Baltimore, Maryland, that are putting heroin on our local streets, to justice.  We want Baltimore heroin dealers to take notice; when you sell to Virginia registered vehicles, and our citizens, we will track you down.”

Today in District Court, Christopher Rojuan Giles a.k.a. “C” and “Charlie,” 27, of Randallstown, Maryland, pled guilty to a one count information charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin which resulted in six overdoses. Giles admitted today that between February 2013 and October 2014, he and other members of the conspiracy conspired to distribute more than 1,000 grams of heroin, resulting in overdoses, more than 280 grams of cocaine base (“crack”), and powder cocaine.

Evidence presented at today’s hearing by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth G. Wright showed the Giles, who operated in various locations in and around Baltimore, was a major source of heroin for smaller 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. At sentencing, Giles faces a statutory penalty of between 20 years and life in prison.

As part of this plea, Giles admitted he provided the heroin that led to the non-fatal overdoses of J.H.H. and B.D.W. in March and April 2014, respectively.  Three other defendants have previously been sentenced in federal court based upon the overdose of J.H.H.  Two defendants, Stephanie Diane Alkire, 23, of Winchester, Virginia, and Donna Jean Jenkins, 37, of Winchester, Virginia, have previously entered pleas of guilty to distribution of heroin in connection with the overdose of B.D.W.

In a separate hearing, Scott Matthew Pierce, 44, of Stephens City, Virginia, who previously pled guilty to distributing heroin that led to an overdose, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison. Pierce, who routinely purchased heroin from Giles in Baltimore and transported it back to Winchester, previously admitted to distributing heroin to victim R.F.L. on March 19, 2014. R.F.L. subsequently used the heroin purchased from Pierce, overdosed and died.

In May 2015, Brandy Dawn Kelly, 36, of Winchester, Virginia, pled guilty to one count in an indictment charging her and Giles with conspiracy to distribute heroin which resulted in the overdose of R.F.L., based upon their distributions with Pierce.

In a third hearing today, Danielle Nicole Orndorff, 27, of Winchester, Virginia, who previously pled guilty to distributing heroin that led to two overdoses, was sentenced to 163 months in federal prison. Combined with time she is serving for a state sentence pertaining to the first of the two overdoses, the total sentence is 15 years.  Orndorff previously admitted to distributing heroin to victims B.M.B. and J.W.S., who both used the heroin and subsequently overdosed and died.

The investigation of these cases was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug Task Force. 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.