WARREN, Mich. – A man and woman were sentenced Wednesday morning for delivering a deadly dose of heroin to their 16-year-old neighbor Sirena Lawson.
Donald McCoy, 55, and Leslie Metcalfe, 40, were found guilty of delivery of a controlled substance causing death.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Investigators believe Lawson sent text messages to Metcalfe on Jan. 6, 2017, saying she was high on Xanax and wanted heroin. Police say Metcalfe called McCoy, who drove to Detroit to get the drugs -- allegedly in the 8 Mile Road and Van Dyke area. The teen gave him $50, investigators say.
When McCoy returned to the Warren neighborhood he gave the heroin to Lawson and her boyfriend, who took the drug and passed out, prosecutors say.
Hours later, Metcalfe found Lawson not breathing. However, she didn't call 911 because she feared she would get into trouble.
Instead, another neighbor tried CPR. That did not work, and finally someone called 911.
Lawson was pronounced dead at a hospital.
READ: 2 people charged in Warren teen's deadly heroin overdose
McCoy addressed the court before he was sentenced.
“I’m not here to make excuses, I just want to explain some things,” McCoy said. “I want everyone to know that there has not been one day, one night, one hour or even one minute that has gone by that I don’t regret the choices I made that night.”
McCoy told the judge about his battle with addiction, telling the court that addicts are not “throwaways.”
Metcalfe apologized for her actions and told the court she thinks about Sirena every day.
“It should never have happened,” Metcalfe said. “There is nothing that can fix this.”
McCoy was sentenced to 15 to 80 years. Metcalfe was sentenced to 15 to 40 years.
