McHenry woman who served prison time in fatal overdose pleads guilty to cocaine charge

A McHenry woman who served prison time for her part in the 2019 fatal overdose of a Woodstock woman has pleaded guilty to a new cocaine charge.

Samantha M. Hagler, 47, entered a guilty plea Thursday to a Class 2 felony of possessing cocaine. In exchange, additional charges were dismissed, including a Class 1 felony charge of possessing cocaine, records show. An original Class X felony charge of possessing cocaine with an intent to deliver was amended to a lesser charge, records show.

Hagler was sentenced to 2½ years of probation with special conditions, including random breathalyzer tests, urine tests and treatment for mental health and substance abuse. She also was ordered to complete 100 hours of public service.

In 2021, Hagler, formerly of Wisconsin, was sentenced to prison for four years after pleading guilty to a single count of delivering a controlled substance, according to court records and past Northwest Herald reporting.

In that case, prosecutors said that another man provided Hagler with crack cocaine in April 2019 and that Hagler then gave a portion of the drugs to Valerie Underwood, who died April 16, 2019, as a result. In exchange for Hagler’s plea in that case, McHenry County prosecutors dismissed additional charges, including drug-induced homicide, records show.