Cedar Rapids man sentenced to two years for distribution of heroin

A Cedar Rapids man who distributed heroin mixed with fentanyl resulting in an overdose was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison on Thursday.

David Hudson, 31, pleaded in October to one count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl.

Hudson admitted in the plea hearing that he sold a mixture of heroin and fentanyl to a heroin user, R.R., in January 2015. Hudson was a regular user of heroin in 2013 through 2015 and helped others buy heroin from one of his suppliers.

Hudson introduced R.R. to heroin in 2013, the plea shows. R.R., an opiate pain medication abuser, injected the heroin Hudson purchased in January 2015 as Hudson watched him inject it in the bathroom of a convenience store. After leaving the bathroom, R.R. collapsed on the floor, overdosing on the heroin.

Paramedics were able to revive R.R. by giving him Narcan, which is used in emergency treatment if someone has taken an opioid, such as heroin.

Hudson then went through the pockets of R.R., looking for any remaining drugs, after he overdosed, which he didn't find but he then took R.R.'s phone before he left the store. Police found packaging from the drugs next to R.R., which was sent to the crime lab and tested positive for heroin and fentanyl.

U.S. District Chief Judge Linda Reade sentenced Hudson to 34 months in prison. She also ordered him to serve three years of supervised release following his prison time.