Man Charged with Distribution of Fentanyl Following 2017 Death of Massachusetts Man

Man Charged with Distribution of Fentanyl Following 2017 Death of Massachusetts Man

A West Warwick man has been charged with distributing fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Aaron Weisman.

David Grimaldi, 23, was charged with distribution of fentanyl following the death of Nicholas Bateman in July of 2017.

According to a plea agreement filed in this matter, the government will argue at sentencing that the death of Bateman resulted from the conduct of Grimaldi.

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The Investigation

It is alleged in court documents that Bateman, 27, of  Rochester, Massachusetts, ingested one-half of one of three pills allegedly sold to him by Grimaldi on July 1, 2017, and quickly became unresponsive, according to the U.S. Attorney.

He was pronounced dead a short time later at Kent Hospital.

A subsequent autopsy established the presence of alcohol and fentanyl in the blood of Bateman.

The Rhode Island Medical Examiner determined that Bateman died as a result of the toxic effects of alcohol and fentanyl.

According to court documents, the three pills allegedly sold by Grimaldi to Bateman were manufactured to appear to be 30 mg. Oxycodone hydrochloride tablets.

DEA forensic testing established the pills contained fentanyl.