For Immediate Release
Contact: Scott J. Croteau 508-368-7228 or 774-418-5706
WORCESTER – A Worcester man is facing charges of manslaughter and distribution of a class A substance in connection with the March 2022 overdose death of a 36-year-old woman, according to Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr.
The charges against Jonathan Delacruz, 31, were filed in Worcester District Court Friday. He is accused of selling the drugs that caused the overdose.
Worcester police detectives and prosecutors from the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office worked in collaboration to bring charges forward against Delacruz.
Delacruz was arrested by Worcester police detectives Friday. He will be arraigned in Worcester District Court on Tuesday.
On March 18, 2022, Worcester police officers responded to 6A Stowell Ave. for a report of an unresponsive female. The woman was transported to an area hospital where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators learned the woman ingested what she believed to be cocaine shortly before she became unresponsive.
An autopsy conducted by the state’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the woman died from fentanyl intoxication. A toxicology report showed fentanyl, para-fluorofentanyl and the animal tranquilizer, xylazine, were detected in the woman’s system. Cocaine was not detected.