NEWPORT NEWS — A York County man was sentenced to 17 years in prison by a federal judge for distributing heroin to two women who died from overdoses in his Seaford home among other charges, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
53-year-old Michael Kerlin, who owned Dixie Fuel Company in Newport News, was also sentenced for possessing firearms and ammunition as an unlawful drug user who maintained a drug-involved premises.
According to court documents, Kerlin used money from his business sales to purchase cocaine, cocaine base, heroine and prescription drugs.
In November 2015, he gave heroin to a woman at his home, who died in the hospital after Kerlin called 911 and reported a person down. He did not face charges for that incident.
In May 2016, he distributed heroin to another woman, Michelle Hull, who died at his house. However, rather than calling 911, Kerlin concealed the woman’s dead body in a garbage can which he transported to and left at his business.
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The investigation revealed that Kerlin possessed firearms and ammunition at his home, where he also stored heroin, cocaine and other drugs.
