Dealer sentenced to 18 years for client's heroin overdose

A convicted drug dealer who made one of his final sales to a McHenry woman who died after using his product was sentenced Friday to 18 years in prison.

Carlton Maynor, 29, of Chicago, received the term for his conviction last year on a charge of drug-induced homicide stemming from the March 3 death of Laura Johnson.

Johnson, authorities said, was found dead after ingesting heroin she and a group of friends purchased from Maynor on the West Side of Chicago a day earlier.

Her mother, Valerie Johnson, described her 27-year-old daughter Friday as hardworking, outgoing and generous, but also too much of a follower. "I was very upset, and still am, with her so-called friends who took her to buy drugs," she said.

"Nobody wants to see their kids grow up and have the opportunity to buy drugs and have happen to their child what has happened to mine."

In a statement eventually cut off by Judge Sharon Prather, Maynor briefly offered his condolences to Johnson's family, but spent most of his time arguing his innocence, claiming he never met the deceased woman or her friends.

"Being sent to prison for something you didn't do is about the worst thing there is," said Maynor, who was on parole for another drug offense when he was charged with dealing heroin to Johnson.

His attorney, John Miraglia, didn't dispute the conviction, but attacked the fairness of a law that punishes a drug dealer, but not the "enablers" who took Johnson to buy drugs.

"There is plenty of responsibility to go around in this case," he said. "They are no better than (Maynor) is."

The case's prosecutor, however, said Maynor knew the risk he was taking when he chose to sell a potentially lethal substance.

"If you're going to make your living selling drugs, you're going to have to face the consequences when someone dies," Assistant McHenry County State's Attorney Michael Combs said.