On Oct. 31, 2004, my son, Shaen Jesmer, bought methadone, illegally sold by Raoul Keith of Everett. Shaen foolishly, and wrongly, bought the drug for the pain of a broken collarbone he sustained snowboarding. In the early morning hours of Nov. 1, 2004 I lost my beloved son; Shaen died from the methadone. Shaen was 19 years old. On Nov. 22, 2006, Raoul Keith was sentenced to seven years in prison for the death of Shaen.
This time a drug dealer did not merely receive a “slap on the wrist.” Keith was charged, and finally pleaded guilty to, a little known and very rarely used law – homicide by controlled substance. We were able to come to this justice because of long and hard work by Officers Cindy Chessie and Kelly Pitts of the Monroe Police Department, by Janice Albert of the Snohomich County Prosecutors Office, by the agent who apprehended Keith, and by one of the kids who was with Shaen the night he died. Thank you all.
I am grateful for the attention to this case by reporter Brian Johnson and cameraman from KOMO television, and reporter Jim Haley from The Herald. People who choose to illegally sell drugs need to know there is definitely now a strong possibility for more than a delivery charge if a person dies. There is now the possibility of serious prison time. And “kids” need to know that just because the drugs they may choose to take are (unprescribed) prescription drugs, those drugs can and do kill. The drug caused Shaen to fall asleep, and he never woke up.
I give heartfelt thanks to my mom, Doris, and two very good friends, Betty and Cheryl. You all went “beyond the call” with me on this, in spite of your own pain from Shaen’s loss.
Stephanie Jesmer
Monroe
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