It's rare that drug dealers are charged in connection to overdose deaths — it's often hard to gather enough evidence to connect the dealer and the user — but in one case, Massachusetts State Police say the victim's cell phone gave them a direct path to the suspect.
Authorities say they traced a batch of potent heroin laced with fentanyl to 22-year-old Scott Reynolds.
That batch, police believe, killed 24-year-old Marc Esperanca of Berkley.
Friday, Reynolds pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter.
Through Esperanca's phone, police say they found text messages they traced to Reynolds detailing the alleged drug deal.
"On a serious note brother please be careful for real this is the best [expletive] I have had yet so don't do to much at once," Reynolds allegedly texted Esperanca. "For real man."
Police believe Reynolds was dealing out of the Norton home of his girlfriend, Katelyn Keough, who was arraigned on drug charges Friday and released with a GPS monitor.
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Investigators say they used GPS data on Esperanca's phone to find Keoguh's house.
Reynolds agreed to be held without bail. His family tells necn there's more to the story and evidence will come out, but they were unwilling to explain as they left court.
Reynolds will return to court Oct. 20 for a pre trial hearing.
