A Wareham man is the first person to be charged and convicted in Plymouth County of supplying drugs that then led to a fatal overdose. The victim was a 25-year-old woman from Wareham who died in 2015. Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz made the announcement on Friday.

After an eight-day trial, a jury deliberated for five hours before finding Steven Foss, 36, of Wareham, guilty of one count of manslaughter and five counts of distribution of a Class A substance, heroin. Foss was also convicted on one count each of possession of intent to distribute a Class A substance, heroin, and intimidation of a witness. Foss was found not guilty of one count of assault and battery.

On Feb. 21, 2015, Wareham Police received a 911 call for a suspected drug overdose. Police arrived and found the victim, Paige Lopes, 25, of Wareham, dead. State Police detectives then responded. Authorities determined that Lopes died from a heroin overdose.

Following a State Police investigation, detectives found that Lopes bought $80 worth of heroin from Foss earlier that day, ingested the drug, then died.

Through interviews, investigators determined that Lopes bought the heroin through an intermediary. Detectives used texts from Lopes’ cell phone to find the person she bought the drugs from, leading them to Foss.

As part of the investigation, on four occasions in February and March of 2015, Foss sold drugs to undercover investigators. As a result, State Police received a search warrant, and on March 11, 2015, seized heroin, packaging materials, cell phones and approximately $3,400 in cash. Foss was arrested that same day.

Foss is scheduled to be sentenced on Friday, April 6 at 2 p.m. in Brockton Superior Court.

Assistant District Attorney Richard Linehan prosecuted the case, which was investigated by State Police detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and Wareham Police.