Hartford Man Charged with Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl Involved in Two Enfield Overdose Deaths

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Enfield Police Chief Carl Sferrazza announced that grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment today charging CHRISTOPHER BARRETO, 28, of Hartford, with one count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl.

This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.

According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 9:52 a.m., on August 26, 2016, the Enfield Police Department and emergency medical personnel responded to a residence in Enfield and found an unresponsive 31-year-old male slumped over a coffee table in the upstairs bedroom of the residence.  The victim was pronounced deceased.  Officers searched the immediate area and seized one empty white wax fold and six full white wax folds that contained suspected heroin.  Officers also seized the victim’s iPhone.  An analysis of text messages revealed that the victim had ordered heroin from an individual in the evening of August 25, 2016.

The State of Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner determined the victim’s cause of death to be “acute fentanyl and ethanol intoxication.”

At approximately 8:23 p.m., on October 27, 2016, the Enfield Police Department and emergency personnel responded to another residence in Enfield and found an unresponsive 36-year-old man outside the house.  The victim was transported to the hospital for medical attention and pronounced deceased.  Officers subsequently recovered the victim’s cell phone and 20 white wax folds that contained suspected heroin.  Analysis of the victim’s cell phone revealed that the victim had purchased heroin from the same individual two days before his death.

The State of Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner determined the victim’s cause of death to be “acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, and heroin.”

It is alleged that BARRETO supplied heroin/fentanyl to an individual who, in turn, sold the drug to both overdose victims.

BARRETO was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on August 10, 2017.  At the time of his arrest, investigators seized approximately 2,000 wax folds of heroin from his residence.

The indictment alleges that BARRETO distributed heroin and fentanyl between April 2016 and August 2017.

The charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

BARRETO has been released on a $150,000 bond since October 24.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Enfield Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.