Warren man sentenced to 60 years in prison for selling heroin that resulted in the overdose death of woman, as well as other crimes

A Warren man was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for selling heroin that resulted in the overdose death of a woman, as well as other crimes.

A jury earlier this year found John G. Simer II, 40, guilty of all 13 counts he faced, including: distribution of heroin that resulted in death, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, being a felon in possession of firearms, using firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of body armor.

U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Boyko sentenced Simer to 55 years in prison, plus five years for having a firearm in relation to drug trafficking. That sentence must be served consecutively to the underlying prison sentence.

The judge also ordered Simer to pay $2,869.64 to the dead woman's family related to funeral expenses.

Simer sold heroin on March 20, 2017. A Warren woman ingested the heroin and fatally overdosed, according to court documents and trial testimony.

Simer possessed heroin and cocaine on April 19, 2017, when police searched his residence. He also possessed a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol, 58 rounds of ammunition and body armor on that day, despite previous convictions for aggravated robbery and firearms offenses that made it illegal for him to have a firearm or body armor, according to court documents and trial testimony.

“This defendant was a one-man crime wave,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “He sold heroin that killed a young mother and was found to have carfentanil, fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, firearms, ammunition and body armor. Our community is safer with him locked up for decades.”

Warren Police Chief Eric Merkel said: "I hope this case serves as a cautionary tale to anyone who thinks their criminal liability ends after they have sold their drugs. We will continue to investigate these overdose deaths and bring those responsible to justice. I would like to thank Detective Melanie Gambill and the Warren Street Crimes Unit for all of their hard work on this case."

This case was investigated by the Warren Police Department’s Street Crimes and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Segev Phillips.