Gonic Woman Sentenced In Connection With Drug Distribution Causing Death
DEC 02 - CONCORD, N.H. - Michael J. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration New England Division and United States Attorney, Emily Gray Rice announced that Jazzmyn Rood, 42, of Gonic, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and one year supervised release after pleading guilty to misprision of a felony in connection with the distribution of a controlled substance resulting in the death of her daughter Evangelique Tarmey.
According to documents that were filed in United States District Court and statements at the sentencing proceeding, the defendant was staying at the Riviera Motel with her boyfriend Mark Ross and Tarmey. On October 16, 2015, Ross traveled with Tarmey and another to Lawrence, Massachusetts, in order to obtain a quantity of heroin. Ross returned to the Riviera Motel and injected Rood with the drug and then injected himself with the drug. Ross provided a quantity of the drug to Tarmey and told Rood he had done so. The following morning, Tarmey was found dead in the motel room. The New Hampshire Medical Examiner later found that Ms. Tarmey died of acute fentanyl intoxication. The Rochester Police responded to the motel on the morning of October 17, 2015. Rood was interviewed by the police and denied that Ross or she had used any controlled substances during the prior evening.
United States Attorney Rice said, “I want to thank the Rochester Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their work on this case. Fighting the opioid epidemic is a multi-pronged, team effort. One facet of our attack is to prosecute those who are criminally responsible for causing drug overdoses. We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute the individuals who distribute drugs that cause overdose deaths and those who provide the police with false information in those investigations.”
“Anytime there is a loss of life involving a drug overdose it is a tragic event; but even more so in this case given the young age of the victim,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. “Those suffering from the disease of fentanyl and heroin addiction need access to treatment and recovery. But, those responsible for distributing these lethal drugs like fentanyl and heroin to the citizens of New Hampshire and those who conceal or provide false information need to be held accountable for their actions. In response to the ongoing opioid epidemic DEA and its local, state and federal partners are committed to bringing to justice those that distribute this poison.”
In April 2016, the United States Attorney’s Office and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office announced the formation of an inter-office team of prosecutors who will work together to prosecute individuals who cause opiate overdoses in New Hampshire. This prosecution, initiated before the creation of the joint team, is an example of the type of case that will be generated by the team.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Rochester Police Department.
