York County Man Sentenced for Distributing Heroin to Women Who Died from Drug Overdoses
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A York County man was sentenced today to 17 years in prison for distributing heroin to two women who died from overdoses at his Seaford home and for possessing firearms and ammunition as an unlawful drug user who maintained a drug-involved premises.
According to court documents, Michael Kerlin, 53, owned a Newport News business, Dixie Fuel Company, which primarily sold propane gas to customers. Kerlin used funds derived from his business sales to purchase cocaine, cocaine base, prescription drugs, and heroin. In November 2015, Kerlin distributed heroin to a young woman at his home who subsequently died in the hospital after he called 911 and reported a person down. In May 2016, he distributed heroin to another young woman who died at his house. Rather than calling 911, he put her body into a garbage can which he transported to and left at his business.
During the investigation, it was determined that Kerlin possessed firearms and ammunition at his home where he also stored heroin and cocaine as well as other drugs.
Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, and Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.
