Hiawatha man convicted of distributing heroin, fentanyl 

CEDAR RAPIDS - A Hiawatha man pleaded guilty Thursday to distributing heroin mixed with fentanyl, a potent pain medicine, to a man who overdosed and could have died without medical treatment.

David Hudson, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing heroin and fentanyl in U.S. District Court. He faces up to 20 years in prison and $1 million fine.

Hudson admitted in the plea agreement that from 2013 through this year he was a heroin user and helped others get heroin by 'middling” drug transactions. He would take requests from other users who didn't have a source, purchase the heroin from his supply source and then distribute it to others.

Hudson also admitted to introducing heroin in 2013 to 'R.R.,” who was an opiate pain medication abuser, the plea agreement states. He would buy R.R. heroin two or three times for at least six months. R.R. had a history of overdosing on heroin and would require medical attention.

In January, Hudson purchased some heroin for R.R. and others. They went into a convenience store bathroom and Hudson injected R.R. with the heroin, the plea states. The two left the bathroom and then R.R. collapsed and was in and out of consciousness. Paramedics had to administer Narcan, an opiate antidote, to make R.R. more alert.

After R.R. overdosed, Hudson went through his pockets, looking for the remaining drugs and then took R.R.'s cellphone before leaving the store, the plea states. Others helping revive R.R. found a small amount of the heroin packaging next to him and a lab analysis determined it contained .04 grams of heroin and fentanyl.  

Sentencing hasn't been set.