Newport News Woman Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Heroin Resulting in Death

NEWPORT NEWS, VA—Jennifer Truslow, 26, of Newport News, Va., pled guilty today to distribution of heroin resulting in the death of her husband, Jessie Truslow, in September 2008.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alex J. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Division; and James D. Fox, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement.

Truslow was indicted on March 18, 2011. Sentencing has been set for July 25, 2011 in the Newport News Federal Courthouse. Truslow faces a mandatory minimum penalty of twenty years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life.

According to the indictment, Truslow she smuggled heroin into the Newport News City Farm to Jessie Truslow, who died from the use of the drugs. This allegation was responsible for launching an investigation into heroin distribution in several areas of Newport News and the Virginia Peninsula. To date, 33 federal defendants have been indicted, convicted and sentenced, and more than 100 related state defendants have been convicted and sentenced.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Newport News Police Department and other law enforcement agencies participating in an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). Assistant United States Attorney Laura P. Tayman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.uspci.uscourts.gov.