United States Drug Enforcement Administration

MAR 16 - NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Michael J. Ferguson Special Agent-in-Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Lee Henrici, 32, of Salem, waived his right to be indicted and pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in New Haven to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and the distribution of heroin.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 22, 2016, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a hotel room at the Foxwoods Resort on the report of a drug overdose involving a female victim. The victim was transported to the hospital and survived. The victim’s boyfriend, who was present in the room, informed officers that the victim used heroin just prior to collapsing on the floor and losing consciousness. Officers seized opened and unopened wax packets of suspected heroin, and a hypodermic needle from the scene.

The investigation, which included witness statements and analysis of surveillance video and text messages from the victim’s cell phone, revealed that Henrici drove to the hotel in the morning of June 22, picked up money from the victim, drove to Hartford to purchase heroin from his source, returned to the hotel and delivered heroin to the victim. Henrici was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on August 17, 2016. Henrici is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall on June 28, 2017, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is released on a $50,000 bond.

This matter is being investigated by the DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Police Department. The Tactical Diversion Squad includes participants from the New Haven, Hamden, Greenwich, Shelton, Bristol, Vernon, Wilton, Milford, Monroe, Fairfield and Manchester Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police.