A Tunbridge woman is behind bars on a charge that she sold a fatal dose of heroin mixed with fentanyl to a woman in Barre.
Shannon Barry, 32, was arraigned Wednesday in Washington County criminal court in Barre on a felony charge of selling or dispensing a regulated drug with death resulting. The case stems from the overdose death June 24 in Barre of Heather Larocque, 29, of Barre Town.
Washington County State’s Attorney Rory Thibault. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger
Barry pleaded not guilty to the offense and was ordered held at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility for lack of $15,000 bail, according to Washington County State’s Attorney Rory Thibault.
According to a release from Barre Police, officers with the Barre Police Department and emergency medical crews responded June 24 to a reported overdose death on Lawrence Avenue in Barre.
Police said Larocque had been found by an acquaintance unresponsive and attempts to revive her by the responding officers and EMS workers were unsuccessful.
The affidavit of probable cause filed in support of the criminal charge stated that an autopsy revealed Larocque died of acute heroin and acute fentanyl intoxication, Thibault said Thursday.
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid that even if consumed in tiny amounts can be fatal.
If convicted of the felony charge, Barry faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Meanwhile, Thibault said, the investigation remains ongoing.
“At this time the investigation by the Barre City Police Department continues into this matter as well as any other individuals potentially responsible for the death of Ms. Larocque,” the prosecutor said.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Tunbridge woman charged in Barre overdose death.