A 22-year-old Taunton man accused of selling a fatal dose of heroin laced with fentanyl to a drug user was ordered held on a manslaughter charge yesterday.

Scott Reynolds was arraigned in Bristol Superior Court on charges stemming from the April death of 25-year-old Marc Esperanca of Berkley.

He pleaded not guilty to charges including manslaughter and possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

Reynolds was ordered held without bail until an Oct. 20 pretrial hearing. His lawyer, Kerry Souza, declined comment.

A woman, who identified herself as Reynolds’ mother, defended her son and lashed out at Assistant District Attorney Katie Rayburn, the prosecutor assigned to the case.

“If they can prove he handed the drugs to him, then let him have it,” the woman said. “Talk to Katie Rayburn. She knows everything that’s going on, because she was there when it happened, apparently.”

Prosecutors said Esperanca sent text messages to Reynolds about buying drugs on April 5. Although Reynolds warned him that this batch was very potent, he still directed him to an address in Norton where he could purchase heroin laced with fentanyl, prosecutors said. Police say Esperanca was found dead by his mother in her home later that day.