A Columbia man will serve up to a decade in prison for providing heroin that caused a Lancaster County woman’s death last year.
Robert B. Kitch, 30, pleaded guilty Tuesday in Lancaster County Court to drug delivery resulting in death regarding the Nov. 9, 2016, transfer of heroin.
In exchange for the plea, Kitch will serve 5 to 10 years in prison, in accordance with an agreement arranged by Assistant District Attorney Mark Fetterman.
Lancaster County Senior Judge Joseph Madenspacher accepted the plea terms and ordered sentence.
“I think this is downright despicable,” Judge Madenspacher told Kitch.
Kitch provided the 23-year-old woman with 5 bags of heroin at a location on West King Street in Lancaster city. The woman was found dead the next day in a vehicle that was towed from a location near the transfer spot.
In court, Kitch told Judge Madenspacher he was a heroin user and had been selling drugs for about a year.
An autopsy determined the woman died of acute morphine toxicity. (Morphine is a byproduct of heroin.)
Kitch also was ordered to pay $7,990 restitution for funeral costs.
The victim’s family watched from the courtroom gallery.
Lancaster city police Detective Thomas Ginder filed charges.
Kitch also pleaded guilty to drug-dealing charges and was sentenced to concurrent prison and probation terms.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright