Taunton fentanyl dealer convicted of manslaughter

A 24-year-old Taunton man pleaded guilty on Friday to an indictment charging him with the involuntary manslaughter of 25-year-old Berkley resident Marc Esperanca in connection to a fentanyl overdose, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III announced today.

According to Gregg Miliote of the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, Scott Reynolds, who knowingly sold an extremely powerful batch of fentanyl to the victim, also pleaded guilty to charges of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of heroin. Superior Court Judge Renee Dupuis sentenced the defendant to serve four to six years in state prison, and an additional three years of probation.

Esperanca died in his Berkley home of a fentanyl overdose on April 5, 2016. After being notified of the death, Massachusetts State Police Detectives assigned to the DA’s office investigated further and found text messages indicating the defendant knew the potency of the drugs he was selling could be lethal. Investigators also found several other messages showing the victim refusing drugs from the defendant because he was trying to stay clean.

​The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Melissa Hendrie.

“The defendant sold fentanyl to the victim while knowing that the potency could be lethal. He wantonly and recklessly caused the victim’s death. Defendants need to be held accountable when the evidence clearly shows their culpability for knowingly selling highly potent and lethal narcotics that cause death. This sentence does that,” District Attorney Quinn said.