Michigan City heroin trafficker gets life in prison

HAMMOND | A 34-year-old Michigan City heroin trafficker will spend the rest of his days behind bars.

Ronald Zitt sat expressionless Friday while Judge Rudy Lozano delivered the life sentence. Zitt's sister broke down and sobbed.

A jury found Zitt guilty in 2010 of distributing 1 to 3 kilograms of heroin. In exchange for personal amounts of heroin, Zitt recruited addicts to drive to Chicago multiple times each week for drug buys.

Zitt's sentencing guideline range called for 360 months to life in prison. Whether Zitt was responsible for the death of a Michigan City client was at the center of a contested sentencing that spanned several days.

Travis O'Brien's wife found him unconscious on the bathroom floor the morning of New Year's Day 2008, according to testimony. A needle was in the arm of the 36-year-old, who had injected heroin provided by Zitt.

O'Brien's wife called Zitt, who instructed her to not call 911 until after he could get there. About 20 minutes went by with Zitt removing the needle and cleaning the scene before he told O'Brien's wife she could call paramedics. By the time help arrived, O'Brien was dead.

Zitt's attorney, Adam Tavitas, said evidence showed O'Brien had several drugs in his system at the time of his death, and that it was not clear that Zitt's heroin killed O'Brien.

Lozano agreed, citing a medical expert's testimony that the specific amount of heroin in O'Brien's body could not be identified — or whether it was the sole cause of death.

Despite that finding, Lozano said Zitt's history of dealing, alleged mixing of rat poison into some of his heroin and lack of remorse warranted a life sentence.

"As a leader or organizer of a large-scale drug organization and conspiracy, you negatively impacted and destroyed countless lives," Lozano said, adding that Zitt had a "callous disregard for human life."

Zitt read eight pages of prepared statements as he addressed the court, claiming the only reason he was there was because the system failed him.

"This case, trial and investigation was founded on and ended on lies," Zitt said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Kolar said Zitt deserved the harsh sentence.

"We're not talking about flushing heroin down the toilet," Kolar said. "We're talking about letting someone sit there and die."

Travis O'Brien's mother, Kathleen O'Brien, said she felt like she finally had closure.

"It will never bring my son back, but at least someone is held accountable for his death," she said. "I can appreciate that."