Man Convicted of Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl that Caused Near-Death Overdose Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison

A man who distributed heroin laced with fentanyl that caused a near-fatal overdose was sentenced on December 27, 2017, to 30 years in federal prison.

Cordero Robert Seals, age 29, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a July 19, 2017, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.

Evidence at trial showed Seals sold heroin laced with fentanyl to a man in November 2016.  Seals and the man then drove to a convenience store on First Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids, where the man entered the store’s bathroom and injected the heroin/fentanyl mix.  Surveillance video from the store showed that about two minutes after the man left the bathroom, he lost consciousness and collapsed at the gas pump.  The video showed Seals re-entering the convenience store after the man overdosed, and then looking out to the pumps where the man had collapsed.  Seals then left the area without returning to the man’s vehicle.  Trial evidence also showed that in April 2017, Seals was arrested for an outstanding warrant by Cedar Rapids Police.  During a search, officers found six baggies of heroin laced with fentanyl, as well as nearly $3,800 in cash, in his pockets.

Seals was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade.  Seals was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment.  A special assessment of $200 was imposed.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Seals is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force consisting of the DEA; the Linn County Sheriff's Office; the Cedar Rapids Police Department; the Marion Police Department; the Iowa City Police Department; and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is CR17-00028-LRR.

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