A Hartford man supplied the fatal dose of fentanyl and heroin that killed a 29-year-old man in a Rocky Hill restaurant bathroom in 2016, federal prosecutors confirm. Edwin Escrbano, also known as “Bebo,” 26, was sentenced today to 37 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson, followed by three years of supervised release.
The sentence stems from a September 14, 2016 incident when police and emergency crews responded to a local restaurant on a report of a man not breathing. The victim, a 29-year-old male, was pronounced dead at the scene. Inside the bathroom, officers recovered a cellophane tourniquet and a syringe later confirmed to contain both heroin and fentanyl — a lethal combo increasingly tied to overdose deaths across Connecticut.
Investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Rocky Hill Police launched a probe that zeroed in on Escrbano’s role. Forensic analysis of cellphones revealed that Escrbano had communicated directly with the victim just before the overdose. Thousands of text messages from his phone, spanning June 2016 to May 2017, detailed an active heroin trafficking operation.
The evidence laid bare a pattern: Escrbano wasn’t just a casual dealer. His digital footprint showed systematic drug sales, with coded language and repeated transactions. Prosecutors say he distributed the exact batch of fentanyl-laced heroin that killed the victim, placing him squarely under federal accountability for a drug-induced death.
Arrested on a federal criminal complaint May 30, 2017, Escrbano pleaded guilty on November 14, 2017, to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of fentanyl and heroin. Though currently released on bond, he must report to prison on March 13 to begin serving his sentence.
This case is part of a broader statewide crackdown by federal and local authorities targeting dealers whose narcotics result in death or serious injury. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Lauren Clark led the prosecution, underscoring the U.S. Attorney’s office’s push to treat fatal drug distribution as the violent crime it often becomes.
Related Federal Cases
- Hartford Dealer ‘Bebo’ Linked to Fatal Rocky Hill Overdose · Connecticut
- Wallingford Woman Admits Distributing Heroin in Fatal Overdose · Connecticut
- Bridgeport Fentanyl Kingpin Gets 20 Months for Fatal Overdose · New York
- Groton Man Sentenced for Selling Drugs to Fatal Overdose Victim · Connecticut
- Bridgeport Man Sold Heroin to Overdose Victim: Feds · Connecticut
Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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