Rash of Recent Heroin Overdoses In Simi Valley (KTLA) |
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (KTLA) -- A Simi Valley man pleaded guilty Monday to a federal narcotics charge of distributing heroin and cocaine that resulted in death.
David Ryan Tejera, 23, also admitted in court that he distributed drugs that killed two people and nearly killed two others who overdosed.
Tejera pleaded guilty to a charge stemming from a May 2010 incident in which he provided heroin and cocaine to a Simi Valley man who died from an overdose after Tejera injected him three times - twice with heroin and once with a heroin-cocaine cocktail.
During today's hearing, Tejera also admitted that he distributed heroin to a Thousand Oaks man who died of an overdose of the drug in October 2009.
Tejera further admitted that in March and May of 2010 he distributed heroin that resulted in serious bodily injury to two people who suffered overdoses.
Under a plea deal with federal prosecutors Tejera would serve nearly 22 years in prison.
That deal must still be approved by a judge.
Detectives say Tejera admitted to being one of the largest heroin dealers in Ventura County.
He went on to tell authorities that he preferred "slamming" (quickly injecting) heroin and that "everyone asks me to shoot them up and it always comes back to haunt me."
A recent rash of heroin overdoses has triggered concern among residents and authorities in Simi Valley.
In the past year and a half, the Sheriff's Department says there have been five deaths and 22 overdoses related to the drug.
Jesse Finkbeiner who works for Action Family Counseling, Inc. says "we've never seen as much heroin use as we're seeing right now."
Finkbeiner says heroin has become the drug of choice.
"We see 14, 15, 16-year-olds addicted to heroin, mainlining heroin, using injections to get high off heroin."
David Ryan Tejera, 23, also admitted in court that he distributed drugs that killed two people and nearly killed two others who overdosed.
Tejera pleaded guilty to a charge stemming from a May 2010 incident in which he provided heroin and cocaine to a Simi Valley man who died from an overdose after Tejera injected him three times - twice with heroin and once with a heroin-cocaine cocktail.
During today's hearing, Tejera also admitted that he distributed heroin to a Thousand Oaks man who died of an overdose of the drug in October 2009.
Tejera further admitted that in March and May of 2010 he distributed heroin that resulted in serious bodily injury to two people who suffered overdoses.
Under a plea deal with federal prosecutors Tejera would serve nearly 22 years in prison.
That deal must still be approved by a judge.
Detectives say Tejera admitted to being one of the largest heroin dealers in Ventura County.
He went on to tell authorities that he preferred "slamming" (quickly injecting) heroin and that "everyone asks me to shoot them up and it always comes back to haunt me."
A recent rash of heroin overdoses has triggered concern among residents and authorities in Simi Valley.
In the past year and a half, the Sheriff's Department says there have been five deaths and 22 overdoses related to the drug.
Jesse Finkbeiner who works for Action Family Counseling, Inc. says "we've never seen as much heroin use as we're seeing right now."
Finkbeiner says heroin has become the drug of choice.
"We see 14, 15, 16-year-olds addicted to heroin, mainlining heroin, using injections to get high off heroin."
