Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel today sentenced Coron Demon Johnson, a/k/a Savage, age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of heroin.  Johnson admitted that an individual died as a result of using heroin that he distributed. 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief John Nesky of the Bowie Police Department.

“Heroin dealers are selling death and despair and more people die of heroin overdoses than murder in Maryland,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.  “Federal, state, and local law enforcement are working together to hold drug dealers responsible for the deaths they cause.  As a result, Coron Johnson will now spend 10 years in federal prison, where there is no parole—ever.”

According to his plea agreement, on August 11, 2017, Johnson sold heroin to an individual in Annapolis, Maryland.  The individual returned to her home in Bowie, Maryland, and went to her bedroom.  The next day, the individual was found in her bedroom, unresponsive, holding her cell phone.  First responders administered CPR, but the victim was pronounced dead a few minutes later.  Law enforcement officers recovered a paper fold containing .025 grams of heroin.  The medical examiner performed an autopsy and determined that the victim’s cause of death was heroin intoxication.

Law enforcement officers took possession of the victim’s phone following the fatal overdose.  A short time later, Johnson texted the phone, asking if the victim was “coming get some this fire today.”  A law enforcement officer, posing as the victim, responded to Johnson.  Johnson, via text, arranged to meet the law enforcement officer, posing as the victim, in Bowie, in order to sell the victim $139 worth of heroin.

At the agreed-upon time, Johnson texted that he had arrived at the meeting location.  Law enforcement officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle.  Johnson was in the passenger seat and three other people were also in the vehicle, including two minor children.  Johnson had white powder residue on his pants when he got out of the vehicle.  Law enforcement recovered a paper fold with powder residue from the floorboard of the passenger side of the car where Johnson had been sitting.  Johnson was also in possession of the cell phone used to text the victim’s phone.

Johnson admitted to law enforcement that he primarily distributes heroin in the Newtowne-20 section of Annapolis.  Johnson identified a picture of the victim as the individual he thought he was meeting in Bowie, and admitted that he had sold the victim heroin in Annapolis the day before.

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Bowie Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin B. Pulice and Kelly O. Hayes, who prosecuted the case.

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