Virginia

‘Middleman’ sentenced in Virginia woman’s overdose death

Published

1 year ago

August 8, 2023

‘Middleman’ sentenced in Virginia woman’s overdose death

VIRGINIA — The “middleman” for a fentanyl transaction that killed an Iron Range woman nearly two years ago was granted a measure of leniency from a judge Tuesday.

David Keith Joseph Chatman, 38, of Virginia, faced over seven years in prison under state guidelines for his third-degree murder conviction stemming from the October 2021 death of his friend and neighbor, Brooke Ann Miller.

David Keith Joseph Chatman

But Judge Robert Friday partially granted a defense motion for a departure, imposing a 43-month term that is just half of the 86-month presumptive sentence.

“Mr. Chatman needs treatment, not prison,” defense attorney Andrew Poole told the court. “He needs assistance with his mental health.”

Chatman admitted he introduced Miller to a local drug dealer, Torisa Sulvoris Wallace, who sold the victim a substance that was believed to be heroin. But Miller overdosed on the product, and her death was later attributed to fentanyl toxicity.

Wallace was sentenced in September to just over 11 years in prison, having pleaded guilty to the same charge.

Chatman entered his plea in October, but his sentencing was delayed nearly eight months after Poole raised concerns about his mental health. After two evaluations, Friday last month found him competent to proceed.

According to court documents, Miller’s boyfriend found the 33-year-old unresponsive on the floor of their apartment at Ivy Manor, 201 N. Fifth Ave. W., just after 8:30 p.m. Oct. 19, 2021. First responders attempted to revive her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said they found a powdery substance, which was later confirmed by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to contain fentanyl. Officers also spoke with Chatman, another resident of the apartment building, who had stopped by to ask about Miller and indicated she had been looking for heroin, according to a criminal complaint.

Investigators with the Lake Superior Violent Offender Task Force followed up with Chatman the next day. He allegedly stated that she had asked him for heroin a few days prior, but he turned her down. He said she asked again Oct. 19, so he contacted his supplier — later identified by police as Wallace.

Torisa Sulvoris Wallace.jpg — Torisa Sulvoris Wallace

Wallace and Miller went to Chatman’s apartment, where Miller paid $40 for what Chatman said he believed was heroin, according to the complaint. Chatman indicated Wallace produced the substance from a plastic bag and placed a small amount on a dollar bill; Miller then took it and left.

While executing search warrants Oct. 21, task force investigators said they recovered from Wallace’s person a plastic bag containing a substance that later tested positive for fentanyl. Cellphone records also allegedly showed Miller messaging Chatman at 2:24 p.m. to ask, “Can u help me get some of that I was asking about that day?” The complaint states that Chatman responded, “Yes. How much?” and then called Wallace.

With the help of surveillance video and bank records, investigators said they were able to determine Miller left Ivy Manor at 3:13 p.m. and withdrew $40 from a bank. She then returned to Ivy Manor, briefly stopping at Chatman’s apartment before going to her own unit, where no one else was seen entering until her boyfriend arrived home five hours later.

Chatman, at one point while the criminal case was pending, sent a one-page note to the judge accompanied by a sketch of flowers, in which he admitted to making the call after several requests by Miller. He said he was “hurt” by her death and asked for forgiveness.

His actions after entering the plea prompted the halting of court proceedings, as Poole reported his client appeared to be struggling to understand proceedings or recall their conversations. Two psychologists subsequently interviewed Chatman, with both diagnosing him with a number of conditions but indicating he was either faking or exaggerating his symptoms, seemingly to avoid prosecution.

Poole, in brief ahead of sentencing, argued that his client should not face any prison time, noting a minimal criminal record, his acceptance of responsibility and his struggles with drug addiction.

“As the court knows through its involvement with the competency process, Mr. Chatman has an IQ as low as 63,” Poole said. “Sending Mr. Chatman to prison will not address the behavioral deficits that have put him in this predicament. No matter what, Mr. Chatman will eventually be back in our community. Society is better served by offering him the opportunity to address his needs now, rather than on the back end of a prison term when his supervision would be minimal.”

St. Louis County prosecutor Chris Florey disagreed, noting Chatman failed to meet conditions of pretrial release and was discharged from a treatment program for using alcohol and THC while charges were pending. Asserting that Chatman understood the wrongfulness of his actions, the prosecutor requested the presumptive, 86-month term.

“Defendant initially declined to set up the victim with heroin,” Florey told the court. “Defendant eventually relented and set up the victim with heroin; defendant knew the narcotic supplied to the victim was ‘very strong’; and it appears defendant could have been aware that someone else had died three weeks prior from an overdose.”

Chatman, who has credit for nearly a year already served, will be eligible for supervised release after completing two-thirds of the 43-month term, which would occur around the end of December 2024.

Wallace, 40, of Eveleth, is serving a 134-month sentence after Judge Michelle Anderson rejected his request for probation or a below-guideline prison term. Florey suggested that Wallace was the “catalyst” to the murder, preying on “vulnerable drug users” like Chatman and Miller for profit.

Wallace has filed an appeal, alleging that he received ineffective counsel and arguing that the court failed to consider whether his conduct was less serious than typical in similar cases. A three-judge panel is set to hear oral arguments Sept. 27.

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Virginia

Virginia Tech Football: Three Keys to Victory for the Hokies on Saturday vs Virginia

Published

4 hours ago

November 28, 2024

Press Room

Virginia Tech Football: Three Keys to Victory for the Hokies on Saturday vs Virginia

The rivalry matchup between Virginia Tech and Virginia is nearly 48 hours away and it is a big matchup for both teams. The Hokies and the Cavaliers are both 5-6 and needing a win to make a bowl game. The loser will be getting a headstart on 2025 instead of playing in the postseason.

At the start of the year, Virginia Tech was being talked about as one of the biggest surprise teams not just in the ACC, but in the country. This team’s biggest goals have gone away, but they still have an opportunity to reach a bowl game for the second straight season. That should still be a big deal to the program, but on the other side, the Cavaliers are trying to make a bowl game for the first time under Tony Elliott. They are going to be fired up about playing in this game and having a chance to make a bowl game, so Virginia Tech can’t take it for granted, no matter their past success vs Virginia.

So what are the keys to a win for Virginia Tech on Saturday?

Before you could even blink on Saturday night, Virginia Tech was trailing Duke 14-0 thanks to two long touchdown plays and the Blue Devils have not been a very explosive offense this season. Virginia has found a way to put points on teams like Clemson and Louisville this season and has improved since last year. The Hokies’ pass rush was non-existent on Saturday vs Duke, finishing with no sacks and being unable to disrupt Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy. They will have to be able to play better on Saturday if they want to avoid the upset.

It is still up in the air who is going to play quarterback for the Hokies on Saturday night, but whoever it is would benefit from a big game from one of the nation’s best running backs. Tuten had 84 yards on 19 carries last week, but Virginia Tech might need more than that on Saturday when the face the Cavaliers.

Our own RJ Schafer wrote this about the quarterbavck situation heading into Saturday’s game:

“Brent Pry listed both Kyron Drones and Collin Schlee as questionable ahead of the historic matchup. He added that both will practice, although very limited, and they could “just be watching” from the sidelines.

Coach Pry also added that Virginia Tech is preparing four quarterbacks to be ready to play this weekend, including Davi Belfort, a freshman quarterback from Brazil, a country which could begin to be the future of American college football.

Whoever plays this weekend is going to have to have to manage the game and not turn the ball over. I think the offense is going rely on the run game heavily this weekend due to that.

Additional Links:

Virginia Tech Football Releases Depth Chart Ahead of Matchup Against Virginia

Virginia Tech Football: PFF Grades and Snap Counts For Every Player in Saturday’s Loss to Duke

Virginia Tech Football: Updated Bowl Projections For The Hokies Heading Into Final Game

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Virginia

Big Tests On The Horizon For Virginia Tech Wrestling – FloWrestling

Published

12 hours ago

November 28, 2024

Press Room

Big Tests On The Horizon For Virginia Tech Wrestling – FloWrestling

At 3-0 with marquee victories over #6 Missouri (23-10) and #21 Rutgers (26-11), as well as a second-place finish in the Keystone Open with just a handful of starters competing, Virginia Tech has swept through a tough November and is prepared for a difficult December.

The Hokies, #12 in Flo’s team tournament ratings but top 10 in various dual-meet rankings, are next scheduled for an annual trip to Las Vegas for the Cliff Keen Invitational, featuring 27 teams, of which 14 are among Flo’s top 25. And then it’s another trip west to Stillwater on Dec. 19 to challenge #5 Oklahoma State in a rare Thursday match.

The early key thus far for the Hokies has been the ability to win the bouts they’re supposed to win and grabbing a fair share of so-called toss-up bouts.

To wit, Tech’s #18 Sam Latona downing Missouri’s #13 Josh Edmond (4-2) at 141, or #25 Rafael Hipolito majoring the Tigers’ #32 James Conway (11-3) at 157 and #15 Jimmy Mullen stopping #20 Seth Nitzel (4-2) at heavyweight.

That trend continued at Tech’s Moss Arts Center match against #21 Rutgers when Latona used a late takedown to defeat Joey Olivieri 7-5, #4 Lennox Wolak pinned veteran Jackson Turley at 174 and #9 Andy Smith slipped past #17 John Poznanski 4-3 at 197.

Hokies coach Tony Robie only took a few regulars to the Keystone Open in Philadelphia and, led by championship efforts by #1-ranked Caleb Henson at 149 and heavyweight Hunter Catka, Tech placed second behind Lock Haven. Latona placed third at 141 and Sam Fisher did the same at 184.

Robie opted to use the Hokies’ roster as freshmen Dillon Campbell (125), Matt Henrich (157), Luke Robie (157) and Jack Bastarrika (133) competed as did redshirt juniors Jackson Spires (165) and Ty Finn (174). Spires placed second.

Who’s Ready For Change?

With legislation on the NCAA’s table affecting scholarship and roster limits — unlimited scholarships and a roster cap — as well as revenue sharing, some college wrestling programs likely have a serious dose of trepidation while others are confident they can deal with whatever happens.

Virginia Tech sits in the latter category.

“I have no concerns whatsoever about that,” Robie said earlier this month. “I think a lot of it probably will happen. It’s hard to say whether it’s good or bad for the sport; that’s not really for me to say. What I will say is you have to adjust with what the rules are and what the landscape of college athletics looks like, and that’s what we intend on doing.

“Is it good for the overall health of the sport of wrestling? The kid that’s the 35th kid on your roster? Probably not. But I think definitely there were probably some things that needed to change; the pendulum was starting to swing significantly the other way. At some point, it’ll probably start to go back to the middle.”

Robie said all anyone can do is wait for the final decisions.

“We have some contingency plans based on what we think is going to happen and we’ll move forward with our plan and try to execute it,” he said.

A Pretty Good Gig

Robie, in his eighth year as head coach, has been at Tech since 2006 and as each season passes, the commitment and enthusiasm remain the same.

“Well, you get to do what you like to do. And it’s a pretty cool thing to be able to coach wrestling for a living and be a part of a pretty good program, and work with some great people and try to affect the lives of the kids in your program,” he said.

“I think anybody would want to do that. For me, I’m not young anymore. I turned 50 … who knows how long I’m going to do it, but I’m going to give it the best I can while I’m doing it and hopefully continue to improve as a program and try to try to help these guys as much as possible. But it’s good, Virginia Tech’s a great place to work, it’s a great place to live. I’ve got a great staff and it makes my life pretty easy.”

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Virginia

VIDEO: UVA Football Players Preview the Virginia Tech Game

Published

19 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Press Room

VIDEO: UVA Football Players Preview the Virginia Tech Game

With the game of year looming this weekend, members of the Virginia football team were made available to to the media after practice on Tuesday morning to talk about the regular season finale against Virginia Tech in the Commonwealth Clash on Saturday night in Blacksburg. Watch the video below to hear what UVA senior safety Jonas Sanker, graduate tight ends Tyler Neville and Sackett Wood Jr., and graduate defensive tackle Jahmeer Carter had to say ahead of the Virginia Tech game:

Sanker is the team’s leader in tackles with 89 total tackles and also leads the ACC in solo stops with 60 unassisted tackles. He has racked up 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, and an interception as part of a strong senior campaign that should earn Sanker some serious consideration for a First-Team All-ACC selection.

A transfer from Harvard, Tyler Neville is Virginia’s second-leading receiver with 35 catches for 387 yards and two touchdowns. Sackett Wood Jr., meanwhile, has recorded three receptions for 18 yards and a touchdown this season. Between the two of them, Neville and Wood have combined to appear in 83 college football games and make 48 starts.

Saturday will be the 55th game in the five-year career of Jahmeer Carter, who has started nearly every game for the last four seasons at Virginia. This season, Carter has 30 total tackles, including nine solo stops, two tackles for loss, one sack, and a pass defender. For his career, Carter is up to 131 total tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 7.5 tackles for loss.

Saturday night will be the first time Virginia plays at Lane Stadium in front of fans since the 2018 season, as the 2020 edition of the Commonwealth Clash was played in front of only 250 fans due to COVID-19 restrictions and then the 2022 Virginia vs. Virginia Tech game was canceled due to the shooting tragedy at UVA.

Virginia is seeking its first road victory at Virginia Tech since 1998, as the Hokies have won the last 11 Commonwealth Clash games played at Lane Stadium. Virginia Tech has won 17 of the last 18 overall games against Virginia and leads UVA 61-38-5 in the all-time series that dates back to 1895.

Both Virginia and Virginia Tech bring a 5-6 overall record into the regular season finale and both need to win the game in order to reach the six-win threshold required for bowl eligibility. There is only one other game this weekend between FBS teams who are battling for bowl eligibility (Eastern Michigan vs. Western Michigan). Virginia and Virginia Tech played each other for bowl eligibility at the end of the 2014 season.

UVA Football: Players to Watch in Virginia vs. Virginia Tech

UVA Football Week 14 Injury Report: Kobe Pace, Kempton Shine, Trell Harris

Virginia Football Depth Chart vs. Virginia Tech | Takeaways, Analysis

Virginia Football Opens as Touchdown Underdogs at Virginia Tech

UVA Football Report Card: Handing Out Grades for Virginia vs. SMU

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