PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- A 20-year-old city man will plead guilty to charges he trafficked a variant of a narcotic painkiller linked to 12 deaths in Rhode Island.
Victor "Fat Boy" Burgos entered an agreement last week in which he indicated he would plead guilty to charges that he distributed and possessed with intent to distribute an opiate known as acetyl fentanyl analogue. In addition, he will admit to witness tampering for threatening an informant.
A grand jury also indicted Joshua Rojas, 19, of Woonsocket, for witness tampering in connection with the probe. Rojas has pleaded not guilty and is expected to go to trial in the coming weeks.
Acetyl fentanyl is a morphine-like street drug, a chemical variant of the narcotic painkiller fentanyl, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health.
The substance was found in the blood of 10 people who died between March 7 and April 11. Since then, it has been linked to another two deaths. Those to die ranged in age from 19 to 57.
An arrest warrant affidavit indicates Burgos feared he would be blamed for the deaths.