Hagerstown Woman Sentenced To Over Three Years In Prison For Distribution Of Heroin Resulting In An Overdose Death

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Heather Lynn Koons, age 33, of Hagerstown, Maryland today to 37 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of heroin to an individual, resulting in his death from a heroin overdose. Judge Bennett also ordered Koons to pay restitution of $3,484 to the victim’s family.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Gary Tuggle of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Washington County Sheriff Douglas W. Mullendore.

According to her plea agreement, on October 19, 2012, Koons distributed approximately one gram of heroin to two individuals.  One of the individuals, Daniel Shorten, died later that evening of a heroin overdose.  Following Shorten’s death, Koons and the other individual exchanged text messages and had a series of phone conversations about the overdose. During one of the phone calls Koons instructed the individual to delete text messages from her phone and to refrain from contacting Koons for two weeks.  During a recorded phone conversation on October 23, 2012, Koons admitted that she distributed heroin to Shorten and the other individual prior to Shorten’s death.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the DEA and Washington County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter J. Martinez, who prosecuted the case.