Bridgeport Man Pleads Guilty To Heroin Distribution Charge Stemming From Overdose Death Investigation
MAR 30 - 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 Daquone Johnson, 24, of Bridgeport, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty in New Haven federal court to one count of distribution of heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 9, 2016, a 30-year-old female was found unresponsive at a residence in Monroe. Police and medical personnel responded to the scene and administered multiple doses of Narcan to the victim. The victim, who did not respond to the Narcan, was transported to the hospital where she was pronounced deceased. While administering aide to the victim, hospital staff located unopened heroin folds on the victim’s person. The substance within the folds later tested positive for heroin and fentanyl, and the Connecticut Office of the Medical Examiner has determined the victim’s cause of death to be acute heroin and fentanyl toxicity.
The investigation, which included witness interviews and analysis of calls and text messages to and from the victim’s phone, revealed that the victim ordered heroin from Johnson on the day of her death. Johnson was arrested on June 13, 2016, after law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from him. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford on June 22, 2017, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is released on a $125,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, and the Monroe, Milford and Bridgeport Police Departments. 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.
