NEW HAVEN, CT – James Butler, 24, of Montville, has confessed to distributing the heroin that ultimately killed a 34-year-old woman, federal prosecutors announced today. Butler waived his right to an indictment and pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of heroin in New Haven federal court.
The case stems from a grim discovery made by Montville Police on May 31, 2016. Officers responded to an apartment on Route 32 following a report of an “untimely death.” They found the woman lifeless on the bathroom floor. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later ruled the cause of death as “Acute Ethanol and Fentanyl Intoxication,” revealing the deadly cocktail that claimed her life.
Investigators quickly zeroed in on Butler as the source of the fatal dose. Evidence established that he supplied the victim with the heroin/fentanyl mixture that triggered the overdose. This case is part of a broader statewide initiative spearheaded by federal and local law enforcement to target narcotics dealers responsible for the deadly opioid crisis gripping the state.
Butler now faces a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment when he appears before U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford on July 12, 2017. He has been held in custody since his arrest on January 31, 2017, awaiting the outcome of this investigation.
The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the Drug Enforcement Administration, Connecticut State Police, Groton Police Department, Montville Police Department, New London Police Department, Statewide Narcotics Task Force – East, and the Regional Community Enhancement Task Force. These agencies worked tirelessly to piece together the events leading to the woman’s death and bring Butler to justice.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito is prosecuting the case. This conviction serves as a stark warning to those who profit from peddling deadly narcotics: accountability will be pursued, and consequences will be severe. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing.
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Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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