Drug Dealer Sentenced in Monroe Overdose Death

HARTFORD, CT — A Waterbury man was sentenced to six years in prison Wednesday for selling heroin to a Monroe woman who died of an overdose, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney's Office. James Hayes, a.k.a. "T.Y.", 33, also faces five years of supervised release after his prison sentence. Hayes was also ordered to forfeit $710 in cash seized from him when he was arrested.

According to court statements and documents, Police found a 32-year-old woman unresponsive on her bedroom floor in June of 2016. Police found empty wax folds and one fold that contained suspected heroin. Investigators later found Hayes sold the victim heroin shortly before her death.

He had been in custody since August 2016. He plead guilty on Jan. 20. His conviction stemmed from a state initiative targeting dealers who sell opioids that cause death or serious injury to users, according to the announcement.