HUDSON -- Police have arrested a Nashua man in connection with a fatal overdose, alleging he sold the fentanyl that caused a Hudson woman's death.
The Hudson Police Department said Jason Canfield, 33, faces felony charges, including the sale of a controlled drug resulting in death, for allegedly providing the potent opioid to a 54-year-old woman who the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined died of fentanyl toxicity.
Police arrested Canfield after tracing the alleged fentanyl sale through text messages, surveillance footage, and cellphone data.
In a supporting affidavit for Canfield's arrest warrant submitted by the Hudson Police, the woman's husband told investigators the two had been relaxing at home on the night of Aug. 25 before going to bed when the tragedy unfolded. He recalled she fell asleep in the living room, and he placed a blanket over her. He later told police that he noticed her breathing was "lethargic," but assumed she was in a deep sleep.
About an hour later, he checked on her and found her unresponsive. Because of her history of mental health and drug addiction, he administered two doses of Narcan and began chest compressions until Hudson firefighters arrived.
According to the affidavit, emergency crews arrived on scene just after midnight on Aug. 26 and continued resuscitation efforts before pronouncing her deceased.
Investigators later examined the woman's phone and found deleted text messages with a contact saved as "Jay," allegedly discussing the purchase of fentanyl in the days leading up to her death. In the messages, the drug was referred to as "sticks," a term police said is commonly used to mean 10 grams of fentanyl.
The messages included arrangements to meet on Aug. 25 with "Jay" texting "Here" at about 10:10 p.m.
Detectives identified "Jay" as Canfield, linking him through phone records, WhatsApp data, and surveillance footage, according to the affidavit.
Cell tower information and mapping with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration allegedly showed Canfield traveled from Nashua to Lawrence, Mass. -- a city police described as "a source city for illicit narcotics" -- before traveling to Hudson the night of the overdose.
Police allege they were able to determine that Canfield's cellphone was connecting to a cell tower in the area of the 54-year-old woman's home at approximately 10:07 p.m. Aug. 25. This was approximately 1 minute after he had allegedly texted her, stating "3 min."
The Hudson Police said in a press release issued on Thursday that detectives located Canfield at a Nashua residence on Nov. 25. With assistance from the Nashua Police Department's Problem Oriented Policing Unit, he was taken into custody without incident.
Canfield was arraigned the following day in the 9th Circuit Nashua District Court and remained in custody pending a probable cause hearing on Thursday, at which point a judge ordered him held in the Hillsboro County Jail. In addition to sale of a controlled drug resulting in death, a Class A felony, Canfield is charged with sale of a controlled drug, a Class B felony.
Police said the case remains active and ongoing.
Canfield, identified in court documents as indigent, is represented by the New Hampshire Public Defender's Office. The office was not immediately available for comment.
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