Briggs Pleads Guilty Again

A Dubuque man has pleaded guilty for the second time to distributing heroin that resulted in the overdose death of an individual. Alvin Stanley Briggs, Jr., age 50, from Dubuque, Iowa, admitted to selling $100 worth of heroin to a person identified as S.R., who later died from using the heroin.

Briggs initially pled guilty to the charge in June 2013 and was sentenced to 30 years’ imprisonment in September 2013. However, his conviction was overturned after the United States Supreme Court ruled in Burrage v. United States that individuals could not be convicted of distributing drugs where death resulted unless the government proved the drugs were the “but for” cause of the death.

At the recent plea hearing, Briggs admitted that S.R. would have lived but for using the heroin distributed by him. This admission is a crucial factor in the case, as it establishes a direct link between the heroin sold by Briggs and the death of S.R.

Briggs faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and up to a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment. His sentencing will be determined by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade after a presentence report is prepared.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham and was investigated by the Platteville, Wisconsin, Police Department, and the Dubuque, Iowa, Drug Task Force. Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl, with the case file number being 2:13-CR-01004-LRR.

The guilty plea marks a significant development in the case, which has been ongoing since 2012. The fact that Briggs has pleaded guilty for the second time underscores the seriousness of the offense and the commitment of law enforcement agencies to holding individuals accountable for their actions.

As the case moves forward, it is likely that the focus will be on ensuring that justice is served and that those responsible for distributing heroin and other illicit substances are held accountable for their actions. The Briggs case serves as a reminder of the devastating consequences of heroin addiction and the importance of addressing the root causes of this epidemic.