Chesapeake Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Role in Heroin Overdose Death

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Ronnie A. Brickhouse, 36, of Chesapeake, was sentenced today to 360 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, and, for his distribution of heroin which resulted in the death of Robert Joseph Mills in February 2013.

Brickhouse, who pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2015, was also ordered to pay $2 million in restitution and $5,000 in funeral expenses. According to court documents, from approximately June 2010 until October 2014, Brickhouse was the leader of a large scale heroin conspiracy that supplied major drug traffickers with multiple kilogram quantities of heroin in the Eastern District of Virginia.  On Feb. 1, 2013, Brickhouse provided heroin to a conspirator who then provided it to Mills. Mills injected the heroin at his parent’s house in York County and was found dead shortly thereafter.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Gregory J. Cherundolo, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Richmond Field Division; and Richard W. Meyers, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert E. Bradenham, II, and Kevin Hudson, and Trial Attorney Jennifer Sykes of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:14cr60.

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