Six Individuals Face Charges Related to Opioid Overdoses

CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged three Cincinnati residents with distributing heroin and/or fentanyl that resulted in the overdose deaths of at least three individuals. Three other individuals were charged with distributing heroin and/or fentanyl that caused serious physical harm, including non-fatal overdoses.

Benjamin C. Glassman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Timothy Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot Isaac, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil, Hamilton County Coroner Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco and other members of the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition announced the indictments.

“Heroin and, increasingly, fentanyl are literally killing people in our community,” Acting U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “We are committed to using every tool at our disposal, including federal resulting-in-death charges where appropriate, to combat this epidemic.”

The indictments allege that John Wade, 45, Jerome Gray, 33, and Rasheena Jones, 20, each distributed drugs containing a mix of heroin and fentanyl that resulted in the overdose deaths of its users.

Wade is charged with one count of distribution resulting in an overdose death, two counts of distributing heroin and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Gray is charged with one count of distribution resulting in an overdose death and two counts of distributing heroin. Jones is charged with one count of distribution resulting in an overdose death and one count of distributing heroin.

Also charged with allegedly distributing heroin is: Shana Gadomski, 30, and Erik Grider, 26, who were each charged with one count of distributing a controlled substance containing heroin. Both Gadomski and Grider have pleaded guilty to the charge, and Gadomski has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Jason Stover, 30, was charged and pleaded guilty to maintaining a property for the purpose of distributing a controlled substance. He faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Distribution of a controlled substance containing heroin carries a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. If that distribution results in death it can be punishable by up to life in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition, and Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Oakley, who is prosecuting the cases.

An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.