Winchester Man Sentenced To 20 Years For Distributing Heroin Resulting In Death

LEXINGTON, KY -A Winchester, KY., man, previously convicted of distributing heroin to an individual who died of an overdose, was sentenced today to 20 years in federal prison.

Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph M. Hood sentenced Harold Wayne Salyers, 53, for distribution of heroin resulting in death, conspiracy to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute heroin and distribution of heroin. Under federal law, Salyers will have to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence. A federal jury convicted Salyers in October 2013 following two days of trial.

According to the evidence at trial, in August of 2012, Salyers distributed a large quantity of heroin to an individual in Clark County. This individual used the heroin, overdosed, and died. The evidence further established that three other individuals witnessed the victim ingest the heroin and, the day after the victim died, Salyers admitted to one of the witnesses, in a recorded conversation, that he had distributed the heroin to the victim.

An expert from the Medical Examiner’s Office and a toxicologist testified that the death was caused by the toxic effects of heroin in the victim’s body. The evidence established that Salyers had conspired with others to distribute heroin, in Clark County, from approximately August 2012 until June 2013.

Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Robert L. Corso, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration; and Kevin Palmer, Chief, Winchester Police Department, jointly made the announcement today.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and the Winchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury prosecuted the case for the U.S. Attorneys’ Office on behalf of the federal government.