West Haven Woman Sentenced on Drug Charges; Was Housemate of Murdered Man: Feds

WEST HAVEN, CT — A West Haven woman was sentenced to six years in jail for distributing narcotics following an investigation that began with the murder of a 39-year-old West Haven man, according to authorities.

Deborah Miller, 60, was also sentenced to five years of supervised release following the prison term, U.S. States Attorney Deirdre M. Daly announced in a press release.

Miller’s arrest was in connection to the investigation of the murder of Edward Brooks in 2015. At about 11 a.m. on July 4, 2015, an explosion took place on Wintergreen Avenue in Hamden.

Responding law enforcement located a deceased white male, who had been wrapped in plastic garbage bag material and bound by rope material, in a wooded area close to where the explosion had occurred. An explosive-type device and debris were also located in close proximity to the body. The victim, later identified as Brooks, had also sustained three apparent gunshot wounds, according to authorities.

“After West Haven Police informed investigators that Brooks had been residing at 59 Front Avenue in West Haven, and that the residents of 59 Front Avenue, including Miller, were subjects of an ongoing narcotics investigation, investigators executed a state narcotics search and seizure warrant at 59 Front Avenue and seized numerous items, including pipe bomb making materials that were consistent with the materials found at the Wintergreen Avenue explosion scene, approximately 16 grams of cocaine base (“crack cocaine”), approximately 10.6 grams of methamphetamine and narcotics packaging material,” Daly wrote in the press release. “Investigators also seized a surveillance DVR, which captured video surveillance from eight cameras placed around the residence.”

The investigation revealed that between September 2014 and July 2015, Miller and others conspired to distribute at least 1.6 kilograms of crack cocaine.

Miller has been detained since her arrest on July 13, 2015. On April 25, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Christopher Miller, Deborah Miller’s son, faces state-level murder charges in connection with Brooks’ death.

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