Barrington woman gets 6 years prison for 2017 fatal heroin overdose
A 26-year-old woman was sentenced to six years in prison this week for providing a lethal dose of heroin to a McHenry man in 2017.
Jessica D. Chapman, now of Barrington and formerly of McHenry, faced six to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty in August 2018 to drug-induced homicide.
According to prosecutors, Chapman and Michael A. Roach, 28, of McHenry, bought heroin from a dealer named "Shorty" on Aug. 31, 2017. Chapman shared the drug with Roach, who died of an overdose, prosecutors said.
Chapman must serve 85 percent, or about 5 years, of the sentence issued by Judge Sharon Prather, which also carries $3,850 in fines and fees, according to McHenry County court records.
Chapman was held at the McHenry County jail in a separate drug case from an arrest in October 2017 when she was indicted on the drug-induced homicide charges in Roach's death. Prosecutors said Chapman admitted to sharing the drugs with Roach.
Chapman eventually entered a "blind" or "cold" plea in which a defendant admits guilt without negotiating a sentence with prosecutors and instead leaves the sentence in the hands of a judge.
As part of her plea, prosecutors dismissed felony drug charges from October 2017 and December 2017. Each of those cases carried a punishment ranging from probation to up to three years in prison.
Chapman also gets 18 months credit toward her prison term for time served at the McHenry County jail while the cases were pending.