Sussex County Man Whose Drugs Killed Seaford Woman Pleads Guilty To Drug Offense In Federal Court

WILMINGTON, Del. – United States Attorney David C. Weiss announced that Roy Horsey, 28, of Sussex County, pled guilty yesterday to a drug offense, and admitted that he distributed a mixture of heroin and fentanyl  that killed a Seaford woman in March, 2019. 

According to statements made in open court, in March 2019 the defendant was selling controlled substances containing  heroin/fentanyl packaged with a stamp that read “Shooter.”  On March 8, 2019, the defendant sold some “Shooter” stamped drugs to a Seaford man, and the man shared those drugs with his wife.  A few hours later, the man woke up to find his wife in medical distress.  He administered CPR, but his wife died of a fentanyl and heroin overdose. 

A few days later, Delaware State Police executed a search warrant at Horsey’s house in Seaford.  Inside were about 333 baggies of heroin and fentanyl mixture, most of which were stamped “Shooter.”

The stamp “Shooter” caused three deaths and a number of non-fatal overdoses in Sussex County between March 9-13, 2019, and also caused overdoses in Kent and New Castle Counties.  Only one of those deaths has been tied to Horsey.

“This defendant  gambled with other people’s lives when he decided to sell heroin.   Now  he’ll roll the dice as the criminal justice system decides an appropriate period of incarceration.” said U.S. Attorney Weiss.  “The First State Overdose Task Force and my office will continue to investigate people who sell drugs that cause overdoses – no matter the  type of drug or quantity of drugs  involved.  Dealers will have to decide if it’s worth the risk.

"Horsey was responsible for the distribution of drugs, specifically a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, that resulted in the fatal overdose death of a woman in Sussex County," said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division.  "When the Delaware State Police executed a search warrant on Horsey's house several days later, they recovered a substantial amount of this same heroin and fentanyl mixture that was packaged for distribution.  Working with our law enforcement partners in the First State Overdose Task Force, the DEA will continue to pursue drug traffickers like Horsey that seek to poison our communities." 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration as part of the First State Overdose Taskforce with assistance from the Delaware State Police.  The Task Force consists of state and federal law enforcement partners who work to investigate overdose deaths soon after they occur.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer K. Welsh prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 01:20-cr-00013 (RGA).