New London man sentenced for selling fentanyl-laced heroin

A New London man who authorities said was selling heroin laced with fentanyl last winter was sentenced Monday in New London Superior Court to 6ò years in prison followed by 7ò years of special parole.

Brian Rodriguez, 26, of 192 Shaw St. had pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to sell and three counts of violation of probation. He previously had been convicted on narcotics, domestic violence and larceny charges, according to the Judicial Branch.

“I don’t know if you have any remorse whatsoever from the deaths that have been caused by heroin with fentanyl,” Judge Hillary B. Strackbein said at the sentencing. “You’re part of that.”

Rodriguez chose not to address the court.

He was arrested on Feb. 1, along with Stephanie Fialco of Groton, who remains incarcerated while her case is pending in the same court.

The New London Police Department Vice and Intelligence Section along with members of the state police Narcotics Task Force — East carried out a search-and-seizure warrant at Rodriquez’s apartment on Shaw Street following a monthlong investigation into heroin sales.

The police seized an unspecified amount of heroin, 61 prescription Oxycodone pills, marijuana, $1,024 in cash and drug paraphernalia relating to the sale of narcotics during the search. Police said they sent the heroin to the state laboratory for testing and found it was laced with fentanyl.

Rodriguez was not charged in connection with any death related to the fentanyl-laced heroin that caused a surge in overdoses in the New London area in late January.