Shawn Albert Sentenced in Cedar Rapids Heroin Overdose Case

A Cedar Rapids man who pumped deadly heroin and fentanyl into the streets—directly causing a young woman’s near-fatal overdose—has been locked up for more than 12 years. Shawn Albert, 25, was sentenced on February 6, 2017, to 151 months in federal prison after admitting guilt to one count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl.

On September 27, 2015, Albert handed a toxic mix of heroin and fentanyl to his then-girlfriend, identified in court records as M.E. She ingested the drugs, immediately overdosed, and fell into critical condition. Instead of calling for help, Albert delayed—leaving her to suffer without medical aid until it was nearly too late. M.E. was eventually rushed to a hospital, where she fought for her life. Some of her injuries may be permanent.

The sentencing, delivered by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade in Cedar Rapids, included a $100 special assessment and a mandatory 3-year term of supervised release following Albert’s prison term. With no parole in the federal system, Albert will serve nearly every day of his sentence. He remains in U.S. Marshals custody, awaiting transfer to a federal penitentiary.

Albert’s October 5, 2016, guilty plea exposed a pattern of reckless endangerment and disregard for human life. Prosecutors argued that his actions were not isolated but part of a broader drug distribution network feeding addiction and devastation across Linn County. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert, who emphasized the ripple effect of each drug deal turned tragedy.

The investigation was conducted under the National Heroin Initiative and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. A coalition of law enforcement agencies—including the DEA, Cedar Rapids Police, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Marion and Iowa City Police Departments, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement—worked in tandem to build the case that put Albert behind bars.

Public court records are accessible via the Northern District of Iowa’s electronic filing system at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file, 16-0053, stands as a grim marker in the federal crackdown on opioid traffickers. Follow updates from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.