Federal Judge Sentences Wilmington Man to 90 Months in Heroin Overdose Death Case

WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that on December 11, 2018, Wali Bey, a/k/a James Goodwyn,^[1] age 58, of the Wilmington, Delaware, was sentenced to 90 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin.  At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews found that Bey knew that the heroin he was selling created an “extra risk” that someone might overdose and that the heroin Bey sold, in fact, contributed to a woman’s death. 

According to public court filings and the government’s arguments in open court, on November 25, 2016, Bey and another individual agreed to sell a small amount of heroin to a young woman.  After using the heroin, the woman overdosed and died. Her body was transported by wheelbarrow and car to the Edgemoor neighborhood in New Castle County where it was ultimately dumped.  Investigators worked quickly upon finding the body, ultimately tracking the source of the heroin back to Bey.  Bey told at least one customer that anyone using his batch of heroin needed to “ease into it.”  Moreover, after learning that someone died after using heroin sourced by him, Bey intended to continue to sell the deadly drug to others. 

U.S. Attorney Weiss said, “Now more than ever, our law enforcement partners on the First State Opioid Taskforce are working together to hold accountable those who profit from the death of others.”

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Castle County Police Department, and was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe.