Putnam, Thompson, and Stafford, CT – Federal and State Law Enforcement Officers arrested a Putnam man Wednesday morning following a lengthy investigation into a 2021 death where a Putnam woman died in Stafford after purchasing pills in Thompson.
Arrest
At approximately 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday, May 15th, 2024, it was determined there was sufficient probable cause to secure an arrest warrant for a 38-year-old man, residing at 58 Thurbur Rd, Putnam, CT, who knowingly sold a woman pills containing Fentanyl contributing to her death. The arrest warrant was immediately served by the Connecticut State Police Troop D, United States Marshal’s Service, Putnam Police Department, and the CSP Eastern District Major Crimes (Troops D, K, and C). The man was taken into custody without incident and is being held on a $150,000 cash/surety bond for:
- Manslaughter 2nd Degree
- Illegal Sale of Controlled Drugs
Reader Discretion Advised Past This Point
Original Incident
According to the Connecticut State Police (CSP) at 12:41 p.m. on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021, units responded to 18 Meadow Lane in Stafford for reports of an unresponsive 24-year-old female with CPR in progress. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful and the woman was pronounced deceased on the scene. On-scene investigation indicated the victim was drinking alcohol and snorted part of a crushed Percocet pill before being discovered unresponsive. A post-mortem exam was later conducted by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The exam determined the pills were laced with a strong enough dose of Fentanyl to contribute to the woman’s death.
According to Affidavits released by the CSP, following the last call at Charlie Bravos, 9 Grove Street, Putnam, the victim, and her friend spent time at a friend’s home in Putnam before heading to McDonald’s until approximately 2 a.m. After leaving McDonald’s the two stopped at a relative’s home on Chapman St before ending up at the friend’s home in Thompson. At approximately 3 a.m. they traveled to a gas station in Thompson to buy Percocet pills from a man the victim knew. The victim and her friend bought what they believed to be a bag of Percocet pills from the man, before crushing and snorting half of one. The two then followed the man to a house party. On the way to the party, the victim passed out in the passenger seat. At the house party, friends attempted to wake the victim but were unsuccessful. They then decided to head to a friend’s residence in Stafford, stopping at the Putnam Walmart for another friend to take over the operation of the car due to the driver’s impaired state. At approximately 4:30 a.m. when they arrived at the friend’s home, they moved her into the home and all went to sleep. When the friends awoke, at approximately noon, they found the woman unresponsive and not breathing, at which point they called 911.
Investigation
While on the Stafford scene, the friend who had been with the woman throughout the night provided a number to police for the man who had sold them the pills. She also turned over the 3 remaining pills to the police. According to the affidavit, the pills were observed to be “small, round, blue pills imprinted with “M” on one side and “30” on the other”. The pills were seized and sent to a forensic laboratory for analysis.
Troopers on the scene recovered the victim’s cell phone and extracted the data for investigation. They discovered the same number the friend had provided saved in the phone with multiple call and text records. Internet searches revealed the number was a Verizon Wireless number and Troopers applied for, and received, a search and seizure warrant for the subscriber information associated with the number. The information revealed the number was registered to Kevin Johnson out of 5 Main St, Putnam. With the assistance of the Putnam Police Department, it was determined both the subscriber’s name and address were fake indicating that the number belonged to a “burner phone”.
Further collaboration with the Putnam Police Department revealed that a Putnam Officer, as part of the Statewide Narcotics team, had conducted a raid on a May St, Putnam, address in 2024 where a man going by the same monogram saved in the victim’s phone and provided by the friends involved in the original incident, was identified.
Later in the investigation, the friend who was with the victim on the night of the incident walked a Trooper through their travels in purchasing the pills. On the night of the incident, the two women first went to Beno’s Variety Store, 615 Quinebaug Rd, Thompson, where the man originally said they would meet. When they arrived he was not there and indicated they should meet on Fabyan Rd at the dirt lot by the bridge.
Numerous witness statements and photo lineups were conducted during the investigation.
Forensic analysis determined that two of the pills contained various amounts of Fentanyl and Tramadol, and the third pill contained Fentanyl, Tramadol, and Para-Flurofentanyl.
In accordance with Quiet Corner Alerts policy, the names of the victims and suspects have been withheld.