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Mother of daughter who died from fentanyl overdose fights for longer sentences for drug dealers

Posted at 8:30 PM, Sep 18, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-18 22:02:02-04

Brenda Ryan’s daughter, Sheena Moore, died of a fentanyl overdose in 2016. Derrick Sales, Jr. sold the deadly drugs to her.

"He got a plea deal of 8 years,” said Ryan. "The last words on my daughter's obituary were: Sheena would not want us to cry. She would want us to fight."

Ryan fought for a longer sentence for Sales. She said addiction hooks dealers, too.

"They’re addicted to the money; they're addicted to the power. He was driving around in a BMW when they arrested him.”

State Senator Frank LaRose (R-Hudson) introduced legislation for tougher penalties for dealers.

“Our bill simply fills a gap in the state law where when the drug laws were written it never contemplated a chemical that was deadly in such short quantities,” said LaRose.

People charged with possession of smaller amounts would have to undergo treatment at the time of sentencing.