Chicago man to serve 30 years for man’s heroin death

CEDAR RAPIDS - A mother who lost her son to a heroin overdose last year displayed a photo of him in a casket during the sentencing for the man who sold him the drug and told a federal judge that 'this is what I have to remember him like now.”

Stacey Iburg said during a victim's impact statement Tuesday that her son Dustin Legrand died a few days before his daughter's birthday. He was trying to make his life better after being in drug treatment and she didn't understand what happened to him. She said he will never get to see his children again and never get to see the school photos she displayed in court for the judge.

'It's just not fair,” she said tearing up. 'It's just not fair.”

U.S. District Chief Judge Linda Reade sentenced Ramon Freeman, 35, of Chicago to 30 years and five months in prison, which is the maximum time with the sentencing guidelines.

Freeman pleaded in November to one count of distributing heroin resulting in death, three counts of distributing heroin and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Freeman sold an individual $90 of heroin Jan. 31, 2014 and then he provided it to Legrand, who died that night from a heroin overdose.

Before Reade sentenced Freeman, he told Legrand's family he was sorry and apologized to his family for their 'shame.” He said he couldn't 'take it back” and will have to live with what he did.

According to court documents, after Legrand's death Freeman sold confidential informants heroin on three different occasions and the purity levels of the drug were higher than what is typically sold to user on streets. The heroin Freeman sold to informants was 68 to 73 percent pure heroin.

Cedar Rapids Police officer Bryan Furman with the DEA Task Force testified during the hearing about how purity levels have changed nationwide and in Eastern Iowa over the past five years. Furman said distributors usually 'cut” heroin with other substances to increase product and make more money.

Since 2012, Furman said purity levels for heroin seized or purchased in Cedar Rapids has tested 60 to 80 percent and higher. The smaller amounts used by addicts even has the higher purity levels. He said users take the small amounts all at once, so they are taking several times more of the drug than they may intend because of the purity level. Furman said there has been an increase in heroin overdoses in Eastern Iowa since the purity levels have changed.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Chatham argued for more prison time because the purity levels were higher and because typically the higher purity levels are associated with higher level heroin dealers.

Reade said she wasn't going to vary from the guideline. The top of the range was appropriate. She said nothing she does will bring Legrand back.

'He was a heroin user and there is a significant amount of danger that goes with that but that doesn't reduce the responsibility of Freeman.”

Reade said the purity level is material to the prison time. Freeman was either putting the drugs out on the streets without knowing the purity level or he knew and still distributed it. Freeman displayed 'reckless conduct” when he continued to sell the drug even after a death, she said.

Reade also ordered Freeman to pay $9,783 in victim's restitution to Legrand's parents.