Bradford Shepley, a resident of Westlake Village, is scheduled for sentencing on Wednesday for his involvement in a drug ring that supplied heroin to a 23-year-old man, resulting in his fatal overdose.
In May, 38-year-old Shepley pleaded guilty to the federal charge of conspiracy to possess heroin with the intent to distribute. This felony offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. However, the prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of no more than 15 1/2 years in federal prison. This recommendation takes into account Shepley’s prior conviction for a felony drug offense, as revealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Shepley’s role in the drug ring primarily involved acquiring the heroin that was subsequently distributed by two other individuals.
In November 2017, a co-conspirator and a customer, identified as K.S., exchanged text messages containing coded language to arrange a heroin pickup. The following day, Shepley supplied the heroin to the co-conspirator for sale to K.S., according to the prosecutors.
A third member of the drug ring drove Shepley and the second conspirator to the parking lot of a Target store located in Westlake Village, where they met K.S. for the transaction. Video footage from the store’s security cameras captured the exchange, as confirmed by court documents.
After the sale, Shepley received the payment from K.S., as stipulated in his plea agreement.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that K.S. consumed the heroin provided by Shepley, resulting in a fatal overdose in his bedroom at his parents’ residence. The medical examiner concluded that the cause of death was heroin intoxication.
Court records pertaining to the co-conspirators have been sealed, rendering them inaccessible to the public.
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