CARMEL, NEW YORK – May 14, 2024 – Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy announced today that a Kent man who was previously found guilty by a Putnam Jury on January 12, 2024, of selling a dangerous combination of heroin and fentanyl on two occasions, has been sentenced to Nine Years in State prison.
William E Mancusi III, 47, was convicted of two Counts each of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree, each a Class B felony, in connection with his possession and sale of a substance containing Heroin, Fentanyl and Xylazine.
On November 12, 2021, New York State Police Investigators responded to a fatal overdose in the town of Southeast where investigation revealed that the drugs tied to the fatality had come from Mancusi. Acting swiftly, the members of the New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (VGNET) were able to conduct a series of undercover operations in the following days during which Mancusi provided a confidential informant with a heroin, fentanyl and xylazine cocktail.
Mancusi was heard on audio recordings bragging that the combination was some of the “strongest” stuff that he has had “in over a year” and urged the confidential informant to “be careful” in using the drugs. A chemical analysis conducted by NYSP Forensic Scientist Jenna Snow demonstrated that the drugs sold were, in fact, a very potent combination of heroin, fentanyl and xylazine.
“The defendant’s callous disregard for the potential life ending substances he was pushing is difficult to fathom,” District Attorney Robert V. Tendy said. “How he could put so many people in danger is beyond me.”
County Court Justice Joseph Spofford previously remanded Mancusi to the Putnam County Correctional Facility immediately after the jury handed down its verdict.
At sentencing, Judge Spofford rejected the defendant’s request for a drug treatment facility and, instead, agreed with the findings in the pre-Sentence Report and the People’s argument that the defendant has never expressed any remorse for his actions and that he has repeatedly failed when given opportunities to seek drug rehabilitation for his own admitted addiction. First Assistant District Attorney Breanne Smith described the defendant as a “danger” and a “menace to society” citing his history of reckless behavior in support of the lengthy prison term.
The Court sentenced Mancusi as a Second Felony Offender finding that Mancusi was previously convicted by a Putnam County Jury of the felony Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs and had a prior Vehicular Manslaughter conviction stemming from an incident in 2008 during which Mancusi, who was operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, struck and killed a bicyclist in Dutchess County.
District Attorney Robert Tendy stated that “Mr. Mancusi is finally being held to account for his crimes and we are grateful to the Judge for sentencing him to 9 years.”
The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Breanne Smith and Assistant District Attorney Joseph Charbonneau. Members of the NYSP VGNET are especially commended for quickly investigating and assessing Mr. Mancusi’s involvement, as well as the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Unit and the New York State Police Crime Lab for their assistance.