Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RICHARD PISKE, 34, of Norwalk, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to one count of distribution of heroin.

This prosecution is part of an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.

According to court documents and statements made in court, early in the morning of June 29, 2016, Bridgeport Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a report of an apparent overdose and found a 25-year-old female dead on a bedroom floor

The investigation revealed that, on June 28, 2016, the victim’s boyfriend purchased a quantity of heroin from PISKE.  Later that day, the victim and her boyfriend ingested some of the heroin that had been purchased from PISKE.

The boyfriend reported that he passed out from the heroin that he had ingested and, when he awoke, his girlfriend was dead.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has determined that the victim died from acute heroin, cocaine and alcohol intoxication.

PISKE was arrested on a criminal complaint on September 29, 2016.

PISKE is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer on November 15, 2017, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  He is released on a $25,000 bond.

This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the Bridgeport Police Department.  The Tactical Diversion Squad includes participants from the New Haven, Hamden, Greenwich, Shelton, Bristol, Vernon, Wilton, Milford, Monroe and Fairfield Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Runowicz.

This press release is made possible by: