New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph A. Foster, Nashua Police Chief Andrew J. Lavoie, and Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division jointly announce that Kevin Manchester, age 27, of Nashua pled guilty today in Hillsborough County Superior Court – Southern District to selling fentanyl that caused the death of Michelle MacLeod. Mr. Manchester was sentenced to ten (10) to forty (40) years in the New Hampshire State Prison for selling the controlled drug fentanyl which caused Michelle MacLeod's death in January of this year, and received additional concurrent and consecutive sentences for subsequent sales of fentanyl to additional people.

Specifically, Mr. Manchester pled guilty to selling fentanyl with death resulting, four later sales of fentanyl, and possession of fentanyl.

On January 22, 2016, Kevin Manchester used Michelle MacLeod to drive him to Massachusetts where he purchased fentanyl and then sold a portion of that fentanyl to Michelle MacLeod. Beginning on the next day after Michelle's death, Mr. Manchester sold fentanyl on four occasions to individuals cooperating with the Nashua Police Department. Michelle ingested just a portion of that fentanyl later that afternoon, and was pronounced dead later that day.

Mr. Manchester was sentenced to serve then (10) to forty (40) years in the state prison, stand committed. He was also sentenced to five additional state prison sentences of four (4) to eight (8) years for his subsequent sales and the possession of fentanyl charge. Four of the sentences are concurrent, while one is suspended but if imposed, will run consecutively to the death resulting sentence should Mr. Manchester fail to be of good behavior upon his release from incarceration.

"Opioid and fentanyl misuse is our most serious public health and public safety problem," said Attorney General Joseph A. Foster. "New Hampshire has suffered more than 302 confirmed overdose deaths over the past 11 months, and 71% of those deaths were fentanyl related. Fentanyl is a serial killer. Simply put, Mr. Manchester's sale of illegal fentanyl was a choice to sell poison to another human being. We will continue pursuing individuals who make selling this poison their business of choice and will hold them accountable."

Chief Andrew J. Lavoie said, "The investigation, prosecution and subsequent sentencing of Kevin Manchester highlights the interagency cooperation between the Nashua Police Department, the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office and the DEA that is critical to fighting this epidemic. I hope today's sentence sends a very strong message to the community about the Nashua Police Department's dedication to stopping dealers who sell drugs that kill and who continue to do so even when they know their drugs have killed a member of this community."

"The State of New Hampshire is faced with a fentanyl and heroin crisis unlike ever before," said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Ferguson. "Those responsible for distributing these lethal drugs and contributing to the loss of life for those battling this insidious disease need to be held responsible for their actions. In response to the ongoing opioid epidemic, DEA and its local, state and federal partners are committed to bringing to justice those that distribute this poison."

This successful investigation and prosecution came about from a joint investigation by the Nashua Police Department and the DEA's Manchester Office, with the assistance of the Office of the Attorney General and the New Hampshire State Police Department's Major Crime Unit.