This Is Actually Happening

377: What if you were a gay, Mormon, drug-dealing, federal informant?

Sep 30, 2025
Sean Hemeon, a memoirist and former drug dealer, shares his gripping journey from addiction to recovery. He recounts the darker sides of his life as a federal informant, the harrowing experience of losing a buyer to overdose, and how that shaped his path to finding redemption. His story reveals the complexities of growing up queer in a strict Mormon environment, grappling with trauma, and eventually embracing sobriety. Through introspection and writing, he finds healing and reconnects with his true self and family.
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ANECDOTE

From Clubgoer To Dealer To Addict

  • Sean met a powerful dealer and slid into drug culture, then impulsively began dealing to prove himself.
  • He believed he could juggle school and dealing, which escalated into full-time addiction.
ANECDOTE

Arrested And Recruited As An Informant

  • Arrested with large quantities of drugs, Sean faced federal charges and was coerced into informing for leniency.
  • The feds handed him an informant agreement that pushed him back into larger-scale dealing under surveillance.
ANECDOTE

Buyer Overdose That Shattered Him

  • A client overdosed after Sean sold him GHB; Sean delayed acting and later witnessed the death, then hung up on the caller who was the victim's mother.
  • That event crushed him with guilt and sent him deeper into meth use to escape the pain.
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