Woman Gets Prison Time For Providing Drugs In Heroin Death

KANE COUNTY, IL — A 26-year-old Barrington woman was sentenced Thursday to six years in prison for providing the heroin to a McHenry man who died of an overdose last August, prosecutors said. Jessica Chapman pleaded guilty to drug-induced homicide in connection with the Aug. 31, 2017, death of 28-year-old Michael Roach. Authorities say an autopsy revealed Roach died from a combination of hydrocodone, heroin and fentanyl, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Roach's mother, Tammy Searcy, asked the court to sentence Chapman to the maximum 30-year sentence. She said while her son chose to ingest the heroin, he did not choose to ingest fentanyl as well, and that Chapman, who was also a drug addict, knew what she was doing when she gave Roach the drug, according to the Chicago Tribune.

“Grief changes shape, but it never ends,” Searcy said. “(I) have been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. … There are no words to describe what you did to us. (The family is) broken beyond repair. … All hope vanished when my son died.”

McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather, appearing emotional, said she knew Roach from times he appeared before her in court as a "good guy" who was "struggling," but added that she "thought he'd make it," according to the article. Chapman, she said, is also an addict and not a drug dealer.

Roach was found dead at his home in the 5300 block of Malibu Court in McHenry on Aug. 31, 2017. Chapman told authorities she and Roach went to an area outside Chicago where they bought heroin from a drug dealer who went by the name "Shorty." She shared the heroin with Roach, who ingested it and overdosed on the drug, according to a news release.

In Roach's obituary, his family members remembered the 28-year-old man as having a "big heart" and as someone "who would give you his last dollar if that's what was needed to better your situation."

"Michael struggled with his demons like so many out there do. Oh how he fought a good fight and with any good fight there can only be one winner," according to the obituary. "Michael had a relapse and his demons won."

Chapman is required to serve 75 percent of her six-year prison sentence before she is eligible for release. Chapman's mom, in an interview with the Chicago Tribune following Thursday's hearing, said she has sympathy for Roach's family.

"A lot of people are being hurt. Families are being destroyed over this addiction," she said. "Jessica is an addict just like Mike was an addict. Jessica could have died as easily as Mike did. Let's look at the whole picture. Unfortunately, they are both addicts, but you know, he made the choice to put the needle in his arm. Nobody forced him to do that. To say she killed him, it's just not fair."