Newport News, Va. – In a grim reminder of the deadly consequences of heroin distribution, Robert Alan Durkee, 58, from Hampton, was sentenced to 20 years in prison today for his role in a heroin overdose that led to a death.
Durkee pleaded guilty on March 10, admitting to selling heroin laced with fentanyl to co-defendant Julie Rae Rock. Rock then provided the deadly substance to victim E.H., at a hotel in Newport News. Tragically, E.H. overdosed almost immediately and was discovered by hotel staff later that day.
According to court documents, E.H.’s cause of death was determined to be acute combined heroin and fentanyl intoxication. Durkee’s own actions were also under scrutiny, as he admitted to purchasing over 700 grams of heroin from June 2015 until his arrest in June 2016 by the Newport News Police Department.
The announcement of Durkee’s sentence came after a thorough investigation led by the DEA Washington Field Division and local law enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan M. Cowles and Lisa R. McKeel prosecuted the case, with U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen presiding over the sentencing.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Dana J. Boente; DEA Special Agent in Charge Karl C. Colder; and Newport News Police Chief Richard W. Myers were present during the announcement, emphasizing the severity of the crime and the commitment to public safety.
A press release detailing the case is available on the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia website, along with related court documents and information accessible through PACER by searching Case No. 4:16-cr-84.
RELATED: Durkee, Rock Indicted in Heroin Death
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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