Former Washington-area FBI agent sentenced for evidence tampering
By John Clarke
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former FBI agent who admitted using heroin seized in drug busts in the Washington area, leading to the dismissal of several major drug-trafficking cases, was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison.
Matthew Lowry, 33, choked back tears at his sentencing in federal court, where he talked about his descent into drug addiction and apologized to the FBI, his friends and family, especially his 16-month-old son.
"I don't know how I can explain to him what happened," he said, describing how he had progressed from swallowing pain killers to snorting heroin.
Prosecutors said Lowry tampered with heroin seized during investigations in 2013 and 2014, often taking some for personal use and putting the rest in evidence lockers with fillers added to make up for the weight difference.
The evidence tampering led to dismissal of cases against 24 defendants accused in large-scale drug cases, prosecutors said.
Lowry pleaded guilty in March to more than 60 counts of obstruction of justice, falsification of records, heroin possession and other charges, according to court documents.
U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Hogan granted Lowry a variance on sentencing guidelines, citing the agent's sterling record and his heroin addiction while committing the crimes.
The judge also spoke about a heroin epidemic in the United States, citing a statistic that the death rate from heroin overdoses has quadrupled in the past 10 years, fueled by prescription painkiller addiction.
Prosecutors had sought a seven- to nine-year sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Brenner wrote in a sentencing memorandum that Lowry waged "a premeditated and systematic cover-up" after he abused his duties as an FBI agent.
The investigation began after Lowry was found unconscious in an FBI vehicle last September after overdosing on heroin.
Lowry, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, also was fined $15,000.
(Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst and Sandra Maler)
