CARLISLE MAN SENTENCED TO 108 MONTHS FOR SELLING HEROIN LACED WITH FENTANYL

A Carlisle man was sentenced in federal court to 108 months in prison for selling heroin laced with fentanyl which killed one person and caused another person to suffer a heart attack.

Acting United States Attorney Martin C. Carlson announced that Christopher D. Grindberg, 34, from Newville, was sentenced by the Honorable William W. Caldwell on Friday in United States District Court in Harrisburg. Grindberg pleaded guilty before Judge Caldwell on November 5, 2007, to unlawfully distributing heroin that also contained fentanyl. According to Carlson, fentanyl is a controlled substance used as an anesthetic and is approximately 100 times more powerful than heroin. Numerous deaths across the United States have occurred in recent years due to fentanyl-laced heroin. Carlson stated that a Carlisle man was found dead in his home on October 2, 2006. An autopsy concluded that the man had died from a fatal mix of heroin and fentanyl. In January 2007 a Carlisle-area woman was hospitalized and treated for a heart attack after ingesting heroin. An investigation conducted by the Carlisle Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration determined that the defendant had sold the victim who died heroin containing fentanyl in bags stamped with the brand name of “Diesel”. The defendant also sold the heroin that led to the hospitalization of the other victim.

At the sentencing proceeding, Grindberg, an admitted heroin addict, apologized for his conduct and the harm he had caused, noting that the individual who died was his friend. The mother of the individual who died spoke at sentencing and told Grindberg that she forgave him. After hearing from both sides, Judge Caldwell imposed a sentence of 108 months’ imprisonment, which was 71 months higher than that called for under the federal sentencing guidelines. Judge Caldwell noted the need for deterrence and punishment as some of the reasons for the sentence that he imposed. Judge Caldwell also recommended Grindberg for participation in any drug treatment program offered by the Bureau of Prisons.

Carlson noted: “The harm caused by heroin is never limited to the user. It takes families and loved ones of both the user and the addict who sells this poison to support his habit into its deadly embrace without discrimination. This was a profoundly tragic situations for all involved.” Carlson also observed that the sentence was “reasonable” under the circumstances.

Acting U.S. Attorney Carlson praised the work of the Carlisle Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their work in bringing the investigation to a successful conclusion. Mr. Carlson also commended the tireless efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney William A. Behe of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force, who spearheaded this investigation. “The work done by Mr. Behe and his team of investigators solved this series of drug distribution overdoses, and doubtless saved the lives of others in the process. We are grateful to the skills and dedication of these extraordinary law enforcement professionals.”

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