Christopher Halla, 43, was sentenced Tuesday, April 14, to five to seven years in state prison, followed by 2 years of supervised probation, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office announced.
The conviction follows the May 23, 2024, death of PJ Susan Goldenberg, 57, of South Hadley.
A jury found Halla guilty of manslaughter and tampering with evidence earlier this month following a five-day trial. Prosecutors said he told a friend to dispose of his remaining drug supply after learning of Goldenberg’s death.
Prosecutors alleged Goldberg bought what she believed were oxycodone from Halla, but the pills were actually metonitazene, a synthetic opioid more powerful than fentanyl.
Goldenberg’s daughter told the court she left college to care for her mother in 2024, but found her dead two weeks later, according to WWLP. She said she still suffers from panic attacks.
“No amount of prison time will bring (my mom) back,” Carly Goldberg said, “but my life will never be the same.”
Prosecutors had asked for a sentence of 6 to 8 years for the manslaughter charge, plus additional time for evidence tampering. The defense pushed for a shorter term of 4 to 5 years, with overlapping time for the second charge.
Halla is also facing another charge in Franklin Superior Court for possession with intent to distribute a Class A substance, authorities said. That case is scheduled for Friday afternoon.
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