Source: United States Attorneys General
Headline: Three Indicted For Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone Resulting In Death
Today, United States Attorney Trent Shores announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment against three defendants, charging them with Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone Resulting in Death and Distribution of Oxycodone Resulting in Death. The defendants charged are Jennifer Elizabeth Boyce, 36, of Pryor, Michael Allen Miers, 30, of Pryor, and Christina Ann Dempsey, 39, of Chouteau.
The indictment alleges that the opioid conspiracy began in March 2014 and continued until February 2015. According to the indictment, Dempsey supplied Boyce with timed-release 80mg oxycodone pills (“Oxy80s”), then Boyce and Miers acted as partners in selling Oxy80s to customers. The indictment further alleges that on October 24, 2014, Miers provided Boyce’s name and cell phone number to a customer so that the customer could buy pills. The customer negotiated with Boyce by text messaging about the sale of four Oxy80s for a “friend,” and then purchased the Oxy80s from Boyce at her residence. The indictment alleges that the distribution of Oxy80s on October 24, 2014, resulted in the death of Jennifer Blake McNulty from acute oxycodone intoxication on October 25, 2014.
“The opioid epidemic has reached our community with devastating impact. The United States Attorney’s Office will use every tool at its disposal to combat the illegal distribution and use of opioids. The loss of life due to an opioid overdose is tragic and unacceptable,” U.S. Attorney Shores said.
As recently noted by United States Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, there were about 8,000 overdose deaths in America in 1990, but an estimated 64,000 drug overdose deaths in 2016. To put that total into perspective, the United States lost more Americans in 2016 to drug overdoses than in battle during the entire Vietnam War. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Faerber – who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief – represents the United States as lead prosecutor in this matter. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pryor Police Department, and the Mayes County District Attorney’s Office.”
The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged federal crimes which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.