Heroin Dealer Sold Fentanyl Causing One Death and Multiple Overdoses

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Darnell Lee Washington, aka “Dale,” 26, of Leesburg, pleaded guilty today to charges related to his distribution of heroin and fentanyl. 

According to the statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, between late 2015 and February 2016, Washington regularly distributed heroin he obtained from his source of supply to customers in Leesburg, and elsewhere. Washington distributed heroin from a house on South Street in Leesburg, and stored digital scales, packaging material and other paraphernalia in the house.  On Feb. 1, 2016, Washington distributed a controlled substance, which turned out to be fentanyl, causing multiple overdoses, including a fatal overdose of which the victim died from acute fentanyl poisoning. 

Washington was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 17, and has agreed to accept a binding sentence of 15 years in prison.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia; Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Gregory C. Brown, Chief of Leesburg Police Department, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary K. Daly and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Munasifi are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:16-cr-110.