Roanoke, VIRGINIA – A Roanoke man who was selling heroin out of his home and other location in Southeast Roanoke was sentenced today in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Roanoke, United States Attorney John P. Fishwick Jr. announced.
Jerome Tyler Lottier, 50, of Roanoke, Va., previously pleaded guilty to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute and distributing heroin and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Today in District Court, Lottier was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison.
“The heroin problem has grown from a simple law enforcement issue into a true public health crisis across Virginia and the country as a whole,” United States Attorney Fishwick said today. “We must continue to be vigilant in seeking justice against all individuals who prey on the addictions of others for their own profit.”
According to evidence presented at previous hearings by Special Assistant United States Attorney Kari Munro, law enforcement became aware that Lottier was selling heroin out of his Stewart Avenue home in Southeast Roanoke in or about February 2016. After observing several individuals enter the home, officers obtained a search warrant for the residence and seized approximately 150 bags of heroin, digital scales and packaging material, as well as a 9 mm pistol. Lottier later admitted that he had been distributing heroin in the Roanoke area for a period of several months.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Roanoke City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Donald R. Wolthuis and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kari Munro prosecuted the case for the United States.