Suspect in Southington Heroin Overdose Is Arrested

A convicted drug dealer from East Hartford is facing new charges stemming from the heroin overdose of a Southington resident.

According to Hartford Police, detectives in the Hartford Police Department Vice and Narcotics Unit were contacted by Southington Police Department investigators earlier this month about an individual in Hartford who was selling “tainted” heroin.

Southington Police, who found heroin bags near the overdose victim, were able to identify a possible supplier of the tainted heroin as a man who went by the nickname “X“, who was from Hartford. Details surrounding the overdose were not immediately available Friday afternoon from Southington Police.

Hartford detectives identified “X” as being Xavier Quiles, 26, of East Hartford. “Quiles became the focus of an expedited covert (operation) ... The investigation included several undercover narcotics purchases, utilizing a undercover officers and informants. From the multiple controlled purchases, (Hartford) Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for his arrest and a search warrant for his vehicle,” Hartford Deputy Chief Brian J. Foley said in a statement.

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Investigators also determined that Quiles was “stashing” his heroin at his residence at 11 Bell Ct. in East Hartford, Foley said.

With the assistance of East Hartford Police Narcotics Unit, detectives arrested Quiles as he exited his home to conduct a narcotics sale, Foley said. Quiles was found in possession of 50 bags of heroin. An additional 453 bags of packaged heroin, 28.9 grams of heroin/fentanyl, 50 grams of cocaine, numerous empty wax paper sleeves, cutting agents and other items used to package heroin as well as $11,727 in U.S. currency, were found in his home, said police who did not specify exactly when Quiles was arrested.

Police said they also seized Quiles’ 2008 Nissan Altima, which was used during several of the drug sales.

Quiles was arrested by East Hartford Police for several narcotic related charges then turned over to Hartford Police who charged him with Possession of Narcotics, Possession of Narcotics With Intent to Sell, Possession of Narcotics With Intent to Sell within 1,500 feet of a school, and operating a drug factory. Information on Quiles’ bond was not immediately available.

According to police, “Several of the heroin (doses) purchased from Quiles tested positive for Fentanyl, a drug added to heroin that makes the drug highly potent and frequently deadly to users who overdose. The heroin bags that investigators seized were identical to the bags that were located near the (Southington) victim of the deadly heroin overdose.”

According to police and the Connecticut Judicial Branch website Quiles has 20 previous arrests in Hartford and convictions that date back to 2008.

Police said they are continuing the investigation.

Photos courtesy of Hartford Police. The drugs and money seized by police; Xavier Quiles.