Smith sentenced in large-scale heroin ring

YOUNGSTOWN

While Heidi Smith kept her heroin addiction secret from her family, her attorney said Thursday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court that her friends knew Smith was able to get safe heroin for them.

Smith, 31, of Mineral Ridge, was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday by Judge Shirley J. Christian with an option for judicial release within six months if she behaves.

She was one of two women sentenced by Judge Christian for their roles in a large-scale heroin ring, which resulted in the indictments in common pleas court last summer of more than 30 people.

Smith pleaded guilty to charges of possession of heroin, aggravated trafficking in drugs and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. Her attorney, Samuel Amendolara, said Smith grew addicted to heroin because of an addiction to pain pills she received after undergoing medical treatment.

The sentence was agreed upon by Amendolara and Margaret Tomaro, a prosecutor with the state attorney general’s office, who is helping to prosecute the case.

Read more about the case in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.