A six-week jury trial focusing on the influx of heroin into the Cabot area in 2011 and the ensuing fatal overdoses of two young men is no longer set to begin Sept. 2, after the last of eight defendants pleaded guilty Thursday.

In a late-afternoon hearing, U.S. District Judge D. Price Marshall Jr. accepted the guilty plea of Devon Tranell McClain, 21, to a newly filed charge of conspiring to distribute and possess between 100 and 400 grams of heroin.

When sentenced at a later date, the Cabot man faces five to 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million.

In an indictment handed up two summers ago, McClain faced three charges -- a conspiracy count and two distribution counts. Those charges were dropped Thursday in exchange for his guilty plea to the single charge, in which he admitted being part of a heroin distribution conspiracy from May 12, 2011, through June 26, 2012.

McClain told the judge Thursday that he lived for "seven or eight years" with Wallando Onezine, who had a relationship with McClain's mother, but he refused to admit that he had bought heroin from or sold heroin to Onezine, who authorities say was the main supplier of the drug in the Cabot area.

Onezine, 37, is serving 10 years for his June 19 guilty plea to a heroin conspiracy charge. Had he gone to trial, he faced multiple charges and an automatic life sentence if convicted.

The six other defendants in the case have pleaded guilty to various charges and, like McClain, now await sentencing.

In addition to the deaths, authorities have said the heroin transported into the Cabot area by Onezine was also responsible for nonfatal overdoses of seven other young people. They were among about 20 people who were expected to testify at trial about getting heroin from Onezine.

Supporters of McClain filled many courtroom benches during his plea hearing Thursday, and Marshall noted that he had received several supportive letters on McClain's behalf.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Gordon told the judge that if the case had gone to trial, "multiple sources" would testify that McClain was involved in the distribution of heroin in and around Cabot and that he sometimes carried a small handgun while distributing the drug.

Gordon said that on May 9, 2012, a confidential informant placed a recorded telephone call to McClain, and, as investigators listened in, McClain said he had eight bags of heroin ready for the caller. The investigators then watched as the informant met up with McClain and purchased $200 worth of heroin, Gordon said.

The prosecutor added that on May 27, 2012, a small backpack with a 9mm handgun inside was found in a car occupied by McClain and a woman. McClain had been seen carrying the backpack when leaving the house he shared with his mother and Onezine, he said.

Although McClain denied direct dealings with Onezine or other defendants, he admitted being "involved" in the sale of heroin to an informant. He agreed that he sent a text message to further the sale and that the heroin another defendant sold to the informant "was coming from me."

Citing the letters and physical show of support for McClain, Marshall told him he was more fortunate than many defendants because "you have a lot of people who love you and care about you."

"Yes, sir, I'm blessed," McClain replied.

Before he was escorted from the courtroom to return to jail while awaiting sentencing, McClain turned toward the courtroom gallery, smiled wide and waved, saying, "I love all y'all."

Metro on 08/15/2014