LAKEWOOD, Colo. — A man with a long history of drug distribution and who was on probation is charged with fentanyl distribution resulting in death following a month-long investigation into the death of a Lakewood woman, according to an affidavit for his arrest.
Brock Nieuwendorp, 37, is accused of selling fentanyl to 25-year-old Catherine Hackim on multiple occasions including April, 28, which is the day she died, the 1st Judicial District Attorney's Office said in a release Thursday.
On April 29, agents from the Lakewood Police Department (LPD) were dispatched to Hackim's apartment for a welfare check. Her parents reported that they had been unable to contact her.
After entering her apartment, agents found Hackim deceased on her couch, the DA's Office said. She had no apparent injuries; however, agents were aware that Hackim was known to use fentanyl.
They later located a drawer in the bathroom with a small bag of blue M30 fentanyl pills.
According to an arrest affidavit, Hackim's parents were able to obtain some information from her cellphone provider. They suspected that a person named "Brock Nie" might have supplied her with drugs. They noted that Hackim had made several payments to "Brock Nie" through Cash App.
Her parents were able to provide investigators with several codes they thought might work to unlock Hackim's phone. One of them worked, and they found an exchange of text messages between her and Nieuwendorp made on April 28.
In the exchange, Hackim asks Nieuwendorp if he's "still selling." They met up at some point and agreed that Nieuwendorp would make a drop at her apartment under her doormat. Just after 8 p.m., he sends Hackim a message that says, "It's there."
Investigators also found 16 Cash App payments to Nieuwendorp since February. The payments show his full name and included a photo that appeared to match Nieuwendorp.
Her autopsy revealed her cause of death as accidental due to combined drug intoxication. The toxicology report listed a high level of fentanyl and its metabolites and the combination of norbuprenorphine and buprenorphine.
Those drugs are indicative of the prescription drug Suboxone. It's commonly given to people experiencing opiate withdrawal symptoms, and Hackim had a prescription at the time of her death, according to prosecutors.
Nieuwendorp is next due in court Aug. 18. At the time of Hackim's death, he was serving probation related to a criminal case in Douglas County.
This is the first prosecution in the 1st Judicial District since the implementation of Colorado’s HB22-1326.
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