After Mother's Heroin Overdose, Alleged Cape Cod Dealer Charged with Manslaughter

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An alleged heroin dealer was charged with manslaughter Tuesday after police said he sold heroin to a Wareham woman who died on an overdose.

It’s the first case of its kind in Plymouth County, according to District Attorney Timothy Cruz.

Steven D. Foss, 33, of Wareham, was arraigned in Brockton Superior Court and charged with manslaughter and five counts of selling heroin.

Poice said he sold $80 worth of heroin to Paige Lopes, 25, of Wareham. She ingested the drug and died on Feb. 21.

Paige Lopes, who left behind a son. (Credit: Graham, Putnam & Mahoney Funeral Home)

Cruz said it was the first time he’s brought manslaughter charges in connection with an overdose death.

“Substance abuse issues are haunting our neighborhoods,” Cruz said in a statement. “We need to fight this problem on all levels in order to send a strong message and take back our communities.”

State officials recently declared heroin abuse a public health crisis. So far this year, there have been over 200 heroin overdose deaths.

Foss’ cases mirrors that of Lorant Diosi, a New Hampshire man who in 2011 was sentenced to 8-20 years in prison for selling methadone to an Exeter woman who died of an overdose.

Foss was held on $50,000 bail. He’s due in court June 4.