WAREHAM – A Wareham man has been indicted on a manslaughter charge related to a heroin overdose in what a local prosecutor says is a first-of-its-kind case in Plymouth County.
Steven D. Foss, 33, of Wareham is accused of selling the heroin that Paige Lopes, 25, also of Wareham, overdosed on in February.
When Wareham Police arrived on the scene on February 21, Lopes was already dead. In addition to the manslaughter charge, Foss was also indicted on five counts of heroin distribution and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.
He was arraigned Tuesday in Brockton Superior Court and was ordered held on $50,000 bail.
Tuesday’s charges allege that Lopes purchased $80 worth of heroin from Foss, ingested the drug and died.
It is the first time the Plymouth County district attorney’s office has filed manslaughter charges in connection with a heroin-related overdose death, according to Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz.
Cruz commended the work of State Police assigned to his office along with Wareham Police for investigating the case.
“Substance abuse issues are haunting our neighborhoods,” Cruz said. “We need to fight this problem on all levels in order to send a strong message and take back our communities.”
Foss is next expected to appear in court on June 4th for pre-trial conference.
