A man who allegedly gave a deadly amount of fentanyl to a woman — even warning her that the drugs were possibly lethal — has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

William McNeill, 39, of Dorchester, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Plymouth court to manslaughter and unlawful distribution of a class A substance, fentanyl.

He was sentenced to serve 6.5 to 7.5 years in state prison. The Plymouth DA’s office had called for a sentence of 12 to 15 years.

“Today, William McNeill finally did right by Felishia Caraway-Mudd by admitting his responsibility in her death and allowing her family to move forward without having to relive this tragedy throughout a criminal trial,” DA Timothy Cruz said in a statement.

“It is my hope that today’s guilty plea and sentence will provide solace to the victim’s family, and that cases like today’s send a strong deterrent message to drug dealers who are pedaling poison out in our communities,” the Plymouth DA added.

Related Articles

Editorial: Rehab is the best ‘harm prevention’ for addicts

Massachusetts man accused of dealing drugs in a cemetery

Massachusetts woman charged in Mass and Cass bust allegedly stuffed drugs, cash in her bra

Two Bay State men cop to charges they were making fentanyl-laced pills

Massachusetts State Police make big fentanyl and cocaine bust, arrest 7 people to ‘disrupt a narcotics operation’

Back on Jan. 28, 2019, Mass State Police detectives assisted Plymouth Police with a drug overdose death investigation involving Caraway-Mudd, a 23-year-old woman who was living in a residential rehab facility.

Her cell phone was secured as evidence, and investigators determined that suspected heroin and fentanyl were being distributed using two target cell phone numbers that she had called.

Through phone records, Mass State Police were able to connect the phone to McNeill and his Dorchester address. Also, texts between McNeill and the victim show McNeill warning her that the product was potentially lethal.

A Plymouth County grand jury voted to indict McNeill in September 2019, and he was arrested by Boston Police on September 13, 2020 — after failing to surrender himself to law enforcement.