La Plata, MD – Charles County Assistant State’s Attorney Jeremy Widder did not mince words with Charles County Circuit Court Judge Helen I. Harrington Monday, July 20 when Patricia Ann Hetz, 46 of Port Tobacco came before the court for sentencing on distribution of heroin charges.

Widder said he would not have offered the defendant an active cap of 18 months had he known that she had a prior offense from 2008 in Alleghany County.

“We have an out of control opiate emergency in Southern Maryland,” Widder stated. The court knows the damage these drugs are doing in our community.”

He was recommending more than 18 months, saying guidelines recommend more in the line of three-to-seven years.

Charles County Assistant Public Defender Reed Owen said his client was reporting to the Charles County Health Department twice a week and has joined a church where she has joined a women’s recovery group on Wednesday nights.

“She has changed,” Owen said. “When I came into the courtroom today I really didn’t recognize her. She is different than she was.

“She has done what we want addicts to do,” he told the court. “She is the best I’ve ever seen her. She is a good woman. She is a very different person from the person who committed these acts. If she were incarcerated, that would put a halt on everything.”

“I did what I did to support my habit,” Hetz told the judge. “This is the first time 20 years that I feel like a human being again. I know what I did was wrong. I just want a chance to prove I can be a good productive member of society.”

“The number one reason people fail in recovery is by not having a network of support,” Harrington said. “Where is yours?”

“I’ve crossed out a lot of negative people,” Hetz responded. “I’ve gotten involved in the church and put myself back clean and sober.”

“You now have two distribution charges,” the judge warned. “A third one means a very lengthy jail sentence. Build a sober network. You’ve got a great start, you’ve done positive things. You have to be diligent and focused on recovery every second you’re breathing.”

On count one, distribution of heroin, Harrington sentenced the defendant to 20 years, suspending all but four days she gets credit for already having served. She also ordered five years of supervised probation and urinalysis twice a week in addition to attending three self-help groups a week.

“I hope you understand the whole point of this is to keep you on track,” the judge said.

Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com