Dubuque, Iowa arrests show deadly dangers of opioids

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa-  Three men are headed to prison for giving women deadly opioid drugs in Dubuque- in cases federal prosecutors say clearly show how dangerous the drugs can be.

Forty-seven-year-old Richard Parker of Dubuque has been sentenced to life in prison, after a woman took heroin he provided, and died.   He had four prior federal convictions for dealing drugs.   

Twenty-six-year-old Jervonie Murphy of Dubuque has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison, because a woman who bought heroin from him shared it with another woman who later died.   

Twenty-eight-year-old Jay Rickert of Grand Rapids, Michigan has been sentenced to more than a year in prison for sending opioid drugs, bought on the internet to a woman in Dubuque.  Authorities says the woman took the drugs and died, while Rickert watched on a computer screen, frantically dialing 9-1-1.  Turns out, the drug he bought from Canada was Fentanyl.  Authorities say Rickert had no prior criminal history.

Pictured below:  Richard Parker (left) Jay Rickert (right), photo of Jervonie Murphy is not available


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