United States Drug Enforcement Administration

HARTFORD, Conn. - Michael J. Ferguson Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s New England Division and Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Keith Atwater, 36, of Bristol, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 12 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for distributing heroin that led to an overdose.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 2, 2016, Bristol Police and medical personnel responded to a report of a medical emergency at a residence in Bristol.  At the residence, they encountered an unresponsive 31-year-old male and pronounced him deceased shortly thereafter.  Officers located and seized five empty wax folds that had contained suspected heroin, and other narcotics paraphernalia.  The investigation revealed that Atwater had distributed the heroin consumed by the victim.

On August 23, 2016, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from Atwater.
Atwater was arrested on September 14, 2016.  On that date, officers seized from him an additional quantity of heroin packaged for distribution.  On December 27, 2016, Atwater pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.  Atwater who had been released on bond, was remanded to custody the conclusion of today’s court proceeding.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the Bristol Police Department.  The Tactical Diversion Squad includes participants from the New Haven, Hamden, Greenwich, Shelton, Bristol, Vernon, Wilton, Milford, Monroe and Fairfield Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police.