Wallingford Heroin Dealer Guillen Admits Role in Overdose Death

NEW HAVEN, CT – Daniel Guillen, 28, of Wallingford, has confessed to supplying the heroin that contributed to the death of a 30-year-old man, according to federal prosecutors. Guillen pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin. The case is a grim example of the ongoing opioid crisis gripping the state and nation.

The fatal incident unfolded on August 31, 2016, when Wallingford police and paramedics responded to a residence following a report of an unresponsive male. Officers discovered twelve wax paper folds at the scene, eight of which tested positive for a deadly combination of fentanyl and heroin at the State of Connecticut Forensics Laboratory. Investigators quickly zeroed in on Guillen as the source of the drugs.

Court documents reveal that Guillen provided the victim with the heroin shortly before the man succumbed to the overdose. This wasn’t a simple street deal; it’s a direct link between a dealer and a life lost. U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly emphasized this case stems from a statewide initiative specifically targeting narcotics dealers responsible for the distribution of deadly substances like heroin, fentanyl, and other opioids.

Guillen has been held in custody since his arrest on January 19, 2017, awaiting the outcome of the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings. He’s now scheduled to face U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford on July 12, 2017. A conviction carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment – a steep price, but one that may not fully compensate for the devastation caused by his actions.

The investigation was a collaborative effort spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, alongside the Wallingford Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Connecticut Department of Parole and Community Services. The multi-agency Task Force also included officers from New Haven, Hamden, Greenwich, Shelton, Bristol, Vernon, Wilton, Milford, Monroe, Fairfield and Manchester Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police, demonstrating the breadth of the opioid problem and the need for a unified response.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr. is prosecuting the case, seeking to hold Guillen accountable for his role in the opioid epidemic and the tragic death of the victim. This conviction serves as a stark warning to others involved in the trafficking of dangerous narcotics: the consequences are severe, and justice will be pursued.

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