NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Dennis Bunch, 28, and Jennifer Truslow, 26, both of Newport News, Va., were indicted by a federal grand jury today on heroin related charges that resulted in the death of Jennifer Truslow’s husband, Jessie Truslow, in September 2008. 

            Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alex J. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Division; and James D. Fox, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement. Bunch and Truslow face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

            According to the indictment, Bunch is accused of distributing heroin to Jennifer Truslow, which she smuggled into the Newport News City Farm to Jessie Truslow, who died from the use of the drugs. This allegation was responsible for launching an investigation into heroin distribution in several areas of Newport News and the Virginia Peninsula.  To date, 33 federal defendants have been indicted, convicted and sentenced, and more than 100 related state defendants have been convicted and sentenced.       

            This case was investigated by the FBI, the Newport News Police Department and other law enforcement agencies participating in an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  Assistant United States Attorney Laura P. Tayman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

            Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

            A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.uspci.uscourts.gov.

 

 

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