HARRISBURG — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle), published as received.

HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Ashley Gries, age 21, of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Christopher C. Conner to 120 months incarceration for heroin trafficking that resulted in the death of a local young man.

Gries pleaded guilty on August 10, 2015 to conspiring with co-defendants Danny Forrester, Gabriel Stouffer, and Eugene Stallings, Jr. to distribute heroin that resulted in the death of Kyle Golter, a 21 year old resident of Newburg, Pennsylvania.  Gries has been detained since her arrest on March 5, 2014.  Forrester, and Stouffer have pleaded guilty for their roles in this drug trafficking organization.  Stallings was convicted on February 5, 2016 after a jury trial.  Chief Judge Conner previously sentenced Forrester to 180 months incarceration.  Stouffer and Stallings have not yet been sentenced.    

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Gries, Forrester and Stouffer traveled from the Shippensburg area to purchase heroin from Stallings in Baltimore, Maryland, and then engaged in heroin trafficking in Franklin and Cumberland County.  Heroin obtained from Stallings led to the death of 21 year old Kyle Golter in Newburg on February 7, 2014.  Franklin County Coroner Jeffrey R. Conner determined that the cause of Golter’s death was the result of heroin toxicity. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Shippensburg Police Department, and the Cumberland County Drug Task Force.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith A. Taylor.

This case is part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin.  Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the heroin initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

# # #