Baltimore man could get life after 9 die in heroin overdoses

BALTIMORE – A 24-year-old Baltimore man could be sentenced to life in prison in October after pleading guilty to a heroin distribution conspiracy linked to 27 overdoses — nine of them fatal.

The U.S. Attorney’s office says Karon Peoples admitted Wednesday that nine fatal overdose victims and 18 survivors had contacted his phones. Prosecutors say they called him to arrange heroin buys.

Law enforcers conducted undercover drug purchases. In December 2017, authorities seized some 900 grams of heroin, roughly $400,000 in cash, digital scales and other items from Peoples’ stash location. They also recovered heroin from his car.

A court-authorized search of 49 seized cellphones revealed hundreds of texts arranging heroin sales and links to overdoses in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.