Fairview Heights Man Pleads Guilty In Heroin Case Involving Overdose Deaths And Courthouse Figure

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that Douglas W. Oliver, 47, of Fairview Heights, IL, pled guilty on August 21, 2013 to charges of Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Possession With Intent to Distribute Heroin, and Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises.

Oliver is scheduled to be sentenced in United States District Court in East St. Louis, IL, on December 13, 2013. Deborah Perkins, Oliver’s mother and codefendant, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6, 2013. Perkins pled guilty on August 1, 2013.

Oliver and his mother, Perkins, have also agreed to forfeit the residence they once shared at 20 Kassing Drive in Fairview Heights, IL.

During his change of plea hearing, Oliver acknowledged that he had given heroin to both Jesse Williams and Jennifer Herling shortly before each died.

Williams visited Oliver at 20 Kassing Drive on an unknown date in March 2012. Oliver and Perkins have both admitted that Williams died after ingesting heroin in their home, and that they arranged for her body to be transported to East St. Louis, where police discovered her remains approximately two weeks after her death. Williams, also known as “Jesse James,” was 30 years old when she died.

Williams visited Oliver at 20 Kassing Drive on an unknown date in March 2012. Oliver and Perkins have both admitted that Williams died after ingesting heroin in their home, and that they arranged for her body to be transported to East St. Louis, where police discovered her remains approximately two weeks after her death. Williams, also known as “Jesse James,” was 30 years old when she died.

Herling died of a heroin overdose while visiting Oliver at 20 Kassing Drive during the night of September 28-29, 2012. Herling was 20 years old when she died.

A Stipulation of Facts filed at the time of Oliver’s plea indicates his dealings with a person identified in the St. Clair County Courthouse investigation.

When Oliver is sentenced, he will face a sentence of not less than 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment.

The investigation which resulted in the convictions of Oliver and Perkins was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Fairview Heights Police Department, the Madison and St. Clair County Sheriff’s Departments,MEGSI, and by many other local law enforcement agencies.

The case is assigned to United States Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton and Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.