One hundred and five days after being charged and arrested for Dealing In a Narcotic Drug, Jessica Jelinek, 31, of Plymouth, was sentenced and is preparing to be transported to the Department of Corrections to complete a 12 year prison term. Jelinek previously admitted in open court to supplying Roxicodone to Fabian Pioro on December, 20, 2018.
A third person at that transaction between Jelinek and Pioro, was Brandon Wojcik, 27. Brandon did not survive to see the morning. His official cause of death was acute methamphetamine, alprazolam, clonazepam, and oxycodone intoxication.
Jelinek was not charged with delivering the drugs that resulted in Brandon’s death. Prosecuting Attorney Nelson Chipman explained in open court on Wednesday the process by which the State and the defendant reached a plea agreement providing for a maximum sentence under the law for a Level 4 felony of 12 years imprisonment. Fundamental to that process was the agreement and support of Brandon’s family. Chipman emphasized to Judge Bowen that the concurrence of Mrs. Wojcik to seek the maximum 12 years instead of a possible sentence of twenty to forty years as a Level 1 charge of dealing a narcotic resulting in a death.
Chipman went on to explain in court that his discussions between with defense counsel Tom Black centered on the scientific evidence of cause of death and the degree of responsibility allocated to the conduct of each of the three participants. The willingness of the defendant to accept the consequences of her involvement also factored into an efficient resolution.
Chipman also emphasized Jelinek’s age of a mere 31 and the fact she has a child that will live through her most formative years without a mother.
Mrs. Wojcik addressed the court with a heartfelt description of the impact the loss of her son has had on her and her family. Importantly, Judge Bowen confirmed with Mrs. Wojcik that she was agreeable with the resulting 12 year sentence.
Chipman identified all of these individuals as casualties of the opioid crisis gripping the nation. Jelinek, for her part, received the maximum sentence allowed for a Level 4 dealing charge, with unanimous support to succeed at Recovery While Incarcerated, the current DOC treatment agenda aimed at breaking the cycle of addiction. If that is not good enough, Chipman said, then the next time whoever is seated here as prosecutor in this, or whatever other county, will have the option of adding the enhancement of being a Habitual Offender, “Generally unheard of for a woman, let alone one so young.”
