20-year-old sentenced to 14 years for selling heroin, causing overdoses

A 20-year-old will spend 14 years in federal prison for selling heroin mixed with fentanyl to two people who overdosed and nearly died in February.

Marcus DeJohn Wallace of Cedar Rapids, pleaded guilty in June to distribution of heroin resulting in serious bodily injury. During the plea hearing, Wallace admitted he distributed $50 of heroin to a person on Feb. 24 in a parking lot on Edgewood Road, and that person shared it with another. Both users immediately overdosed in a car and lost consciousness.

Court documents state the driver of the car slumped forward, hitting the steering wheel and horn, which a passer-by heard and called 911 when he saw people in the car.

When paramedics arrived, the passenger was able to be revived without medical aid, according to court documents. The driver's head was hanging down, his skin was blue and he was having trouble breathing. The driver was unresponsive until paramedics repositioned his head to open the airway.

Wallace in court admitted that without medical help, the driver was at a substantial risk of anoxic brain injury and death as a result of using the heroin he sold.

The other charge of distributing heroin within 1,000 feet of a school in the indictment was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

Wallace faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Chatham asked the court to go below the guideline sentencing during a conferce at the bench with defense and the judge.

Chatham didn't explain why he asked for a lower sentence in open court but said this was an extremely dangerous crime and the heroin Wallace was selling was 'very potent.”

U.S. District Chief Judge Linda Reade added the mixture of heroin with fentanyl was 100 times more potent than morphine. She put in her order that Wallace should have a mental health evaluation and substance abuse treatment. Reade said Wallace told probation officials that he had regularly used marijuana, Xanax and ecstasy.

Wallace will also have to be on supervised release for five years after serving his prison time.