Portland Man Charged With Manslaughter In Overdose Death: Police

MIDDLETOWN, CT — A Portland man has been charged with manslaughter in connection to the overdose death of a 20-year-old woman earlier this year in Middletown, according to police.

Toxicology reports confirmed that the woman died April 30 of a fentanyl overdose and Middletown detectives developed information leading them to believe that Angel Gonzalez, a known drug dealer, sold the fentanyl to the victim, according to Lt. Heather Desmond.

Desmond said Gonzalez, 35, is a convicted felon with previous convictions for: Possession With Intent to Sell (multiple convictions), Sale of Hallucinogen/Narcotics, Possession of Narcotics (multiple convictions), Smuggle in Prison, Larceny 1st, Larceny 3rd, Criminal Trespass 1st, Probation Violation (multiple convictions).

During the investigation, narcotics detectives executed a search warrant on Gonzalez and his residence. Detectives located a large quantity of fentanyl that packaged for sale, according to Desmond.

Gonzalez was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of narcotics, two counts of possession of narcotics with intent to sell and risk of injury.

Desmond said additional investigation, with the assistance of the Middletown Police Department Major Investigations Unit and the DEA, narcotics detectives “developed probable cause to believe Gonzalez sold the fentanyl to the victim.”

Gonzalez, of Marlborough Street in Portland, was then arrested on a warrant and charged with second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and sale of narcotics. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.

“The Middletown Narcotics Unit will continue to target and arrest drug dealers that profit from the opioid epidemic,” Desmond said.