NORFOLK, Va. — Carlos A. Brown, 46, of Suffolk, was sentenced today to 360 months in federal prison for distributing heroin that resulted in the fatal overdose of Ryan Wilson, 27, of Chesapeake. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis, marks the end of a years-long investigation into Brown’s deadly drug operation.
Court documents reveal Brown ran a steady heroin ring from his Portsmouth residence between June and November 2015. On November 18, 2015, he texted a buyer boasting about the potency of his supply, calling it a ‘missile.’ He was fully aware that multiple users had already overdosed on his product — yet he actively sought to acquire more of the same batch.
Just days later, on the morning of November 21, 2015, Ryan Wilson was found dead after using heroin supplied by Brown. Toxicology reports confirmed the cause of death was acute heroin intoxication. Despite learning of Wilson’s death, Brown didn’t back off — he kept selling the same lethal product.
Law enforcement closed in after conducting four controlled buys of heroin and fentanyl from Brown. Agents from the FBI, Chesapeake Police, and Virginia State Police built the case that led to his arrest on April 21. The investigation exposed a callous indifference to human life — Brown treated addiction like inventory, and death like a minor setback.
The prosecution was led by Virginia Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John F. Butler, along with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew C. Bosse and Joseph E. DePadilla. The case was jointly announced by Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark R. Herring, Virginia’s Attorney General; FBI Norfolk Chief Martin Culbreath; Chesapeake Police Chief Kelvin L. Wright; and Colonel W. Steven Flaherty of the Virginia State Police.
Court records, including Case No. 2:16-cr-67, are available through the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and PACER. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has released official details on their website, underscoring the federal crackdown on drug dealers who profit from fatal overdoses.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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