Jul 8, 2022 4 min read

A high-level drug dealer from Pittsburgh, who unexpectedly pleaded guilty in the middle of his trial earlier this year for supplying fentanyl-laced heroin that killed two people in Washington in 2019, was sentenced to a significantly longer prison term than what he could’ve faced had he accepted the original plea deal from prosecutors.

William Henry Greene, 30, was sentenced Thursday in Washington County Court by Judge Valarie Costanzo to serve 35 to 70 years in state prison after pleading guilty to six separate drug cases in the midst of his jury trial in January.

Greene supplied bricks of fentanyl to lower-level drug dealers that led to the deaths of David Chappel, 29, and Megan Peacock, 26, during separate overdoses in Washington in November 2019.

Multiple family members and friends of Chappel and Peacock offered victim impact statements during Thursday’s proceeding in which they asked the judge to impose a hefty sentence on Greene. Peacock was described as someone who was compassionate while working with people who had mental disabilities, while Chappel was remembered as a loving father with two young sons who don’t quite grasp why he’s gone.

“This is our life sentence,” Peacock’s grandmother, Joyce Koepelle, said in a written statement read in court. “We can only pray that someday our cities and streets are drug free, and no family has to endure this pain.”

Chappel’s mother, June, sobbed on the witness stand as she described losing both of her sons to addiction and the hole that it’s left in her family.

“You did not care that man had a family that loved him. He had two little boys. … They ask me often, ‘Where is heaven? Will they ever see dad again?’ … These children were robbed of life with their father,” Chappel said. “You have destroyed my life. Every day I’m left to deal with this.”

Greene also had several family members speak about his character and upbringing, while they also apologized to the victims’ families.

“Hearts cannot heal from situations like this,” said Jennifer Cash-Wade, who is Greene’s great aunt. “Our hearts are heavy, and life will never be the same for anyone in this courtroom, for many different reasons.”

Greene looked directly at each speaker while listening to how his actions damaged other people’s lives. During his statement before sentencing, Greene asked for forgiveness and took responsibility, while also vowing to improve himself in prison.

“I would like to apologize to the family … from the bottom of my soul, I’m sorry,” Greene said. “Forgiveness comes with time, or it may never come.”

Prosecutors offered Greene a plea deal before going to trial, which he rejected. While details of the offer were not made public, the length of the sentence that could have been imposed on him was likely significantly less than what he received following his open plea. It’s unclear what prompted Greene to plead guilty to numerous drug charges after going to trial, including two felony counts of drug delivery resulting in death. His attorney, Renee Colbert, acknowledged it was an unusual situation while she asked the judge for leniency.

But Detective Ryan McWreath of the Washington County Drug Task Force testified during sentencing that Greene was a “supplier (and) top-level” dealer at the top of one of the drug pyramids in the county. McWreath led the investigation into Greene as police performed multiple drug purchases from him using confidential informants before he was arrested in December 2019.

Assistant District Attorney Rachel Wheeler referred to Greene’s “lethal greed” as the reason why he funneled deadly batches of fentanyl-laced heroin into Washington County.

“While he was making money, his customers were dying,” Wheeler said as she argued for a stiffer sentence for Greene.

Just before Greene was led away by sheriff’s deputies, he appeared confused by the lengthy sentence Costanzo had handed down as he asked for clarification.

“You sentenced me to 35 years?” he asked the judge, appearing surprised by the punishment.

Costanzo responded in the affirmative and Greene was escorted from the courtroom and back to the Washington County jail, where he’s been held since his arrest. He’ll eventually be transferred to a state prison to serve the remainder of his sentence. Costanzo also ordered Greene to pay the cost of prosecution and restitution to the two families of the victims.