City woman gets 18 months for drug sale

TORRINGTON » A Torrington woman was sentenced to 18 months in prison Friday after pleading guilty to selling narcotics, according to court records.

Dana Baxter, 59, of 410 Migeon Ave., Apartment A, Torrington, was identified as being involved with supplying heroin to the greater Litchfield County area during the investigation of the overdose death of a New Milford man in September 2015, according to an arrest warrant affidavit from state police.

Baxter was also identified as the person who supplied the heroin that ultimately led to the death of the man, according to the affidavit.

She sold the heroin to a Washington man, who in turn sold it to the New Milford man according to the affidavit.

After sampling the batch of heroin, Baxter warned the Washington man that the heroin was dangerously potent and that she had complained to her supplier about the strength of the batch, according to the affidavit.

She was “emotionally upset and remorseful” upon hearing of the man’s death, according to the affidavit, and “(indicated) that she was unaware of anyone’s death from heroin that she had provided.”

The cause of the death of the New Milford man was ruled an accidental result of substance abuse from acute intoxication from the combined effects of heroin and Fentanyl by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, according to the affidavit. Baxter was sentenced to 12 years in prison, suspended after 18 months, with three years probation, according to court records and Assistant Clerk Bob Stearns.

In addition to being found guilty of the sale of narcotics, Baxter was also sentenced on a possession of narcotics charge stemming from another case.