East Lyme man pleads guilty to selling heroin that led to overdose death
Christopher Stevens, 25, of East Lyme pleaded guilty Wednesday in U.S. District Court in New Haven to distributing heroin with fentanyl to a man who died of an overdose on June 4, 2016.
According to court documents, East Lyme police found the 25-year-old victim, who is unidentified, slumped over the steering wheel of a car, dead, after responding about 1 a.m. to a call of a car parked on the side of the road with its engine running. A 3-year-old child was sleeping in a car seat in the back seat, but later told a responding officer, "car broken" and "daddy sleeping," according to a criminal complaint.
The man had in his hand a crumpled up wax baggy and a bank receipt showing a withdrawal of $300. The police said they found three additional empty baggies underneath the driver's seat, an unused syringe in the victim's pocket and a morphine pill in his wallet. He also had a cellphone.
The state office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the man died of acute heroin and fentanyl toxicity.
Investigators obtained phone records and saw that about 9 p.m. the previous night, the man had exchanged several texts with "Chriss," who was later identified as Stevens, about buying heroin. The investigation revealed that shortly before he overdosed, the victim had gone to Stevens' home to purchase heroin.
Stevens, who waived indictment and pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of heroin, faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on April 12, 2017. His prosecution is part of an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or other opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration's Tactical Diversion Squad with the assistance of the East Lyme Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer P. Laraia and Michael E. Runowicz.
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