Local man indicted for distribution of heroin

Trevonn Lionel French, 36, Fulton, was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City for distributing heroin that resulted in the death of Summer Bond, 28, Fulton.

photo

Darla Haudrich and Kent Swim

Under federal law, a conviction for distribution of heroin resulting in death carries a penalty of a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole or up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole.

French is charged in a three-count indictment that replaces a criminal complaint that was filed against French on Jan. 13. The affidavit filed in support of that complaint remains under seal. French is now in federal custody without bond.

Thursday's indictment alleges that French distributed the heroin to Bond on Jan. 9, 2011, and that the Fulton woman died as a result of the use of that heroin. The indictment also charges French with two additional counts of distributing heroin in Callaway County on two other occasions during January of 2011.

On Nov. 29, 2010, a charge of driving while intoxicated with drugs was filed in Callaway County Circuit Court against French.

A bond appearance hearing on the DWI with drugs charge was scheduled for Wednesday of this week. At that hearing the state was granted leave to file an amended charge. The next day French was indicted in Jefferson City by a federal grand jury on the heroin charge.

The federal case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Gonzalez and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven R. Berry.

It was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Fulton Police Department, the Callaway County Sheriff's Department and the Boone County Medical Examiner's Office.