HV Man Accused Of Selling Deadly Fentanyl-Laced Heroin

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — A Dutchess County man was accused of causing two deaths from fentanyl-laced heroin.

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Allen Peloquin, 34, of Poughkeepsie, was accused of distributing fentanyl-laced heroin that resulted in the death of a Carmel woman Feb. 12, 2020, and a Poughkeepsie man May 10, 2020.

He was also accused of participating in a narcotics conspiracy that distributed fentanyl-laced heroin that caused the first two deaths as well as those of a man in Poughquag Jan. 2, 2020, and a Poughkeepsie woman May 4, 2020.

Williams said Peloquin and others distributed heroin laced with the deadly synthetic opioid and caused four deaths.

"The defendant is now in custody and facing serious federal charges," he said. "Working with our state, county and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to hold accountable the dealers who push this lethal poison exploit addiction and further the devastating impact of the opioid crisis in our communities."

Prosecutors said, from January 2020 to May 2020, Peloquin and others distributed and sold fentanyl-laced heroin in Dutchess County in glassine bags stamped with distinctive red images and wording and were responsible for the overdose deaths of at least four people.

After the deaths of the Carmel woman and Poughquag man, the wording and image of the red stamp was changed in an attempt to evade law enforcement, police said, while continuing to distribute the same lethal narcotics.

Further investigation found that Peloquin was identified as the dealer who sold the Carmel woman and the Poughkeepsie man the drugs that caused their deaths.

Peloquin was charged with two counts of narcotics distribution resulting in the deaths of the Carmel woman and Poughkeepsie man. He is also charged with one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin resulting in the deaths of the four people.

Each of the counts carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.