A federal jury in Central Islip these days returned a responsible verdict versus James Tunstall for distributing heroin, which resulted in the fatal overdose of 24-yr-aged Sergio Niko Alvarez on October 29, 2018 in Jericho, New York. The verdict followed a five-day demo ahead of United States District Choose Joan M. Azrack.
Breon Peace, United States Lawyer for the Jap District of New York, and Frank A. Tarentino III, Exclusive Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), declared the verdict.
“Tunstall, an admitted drug vendor, is held liable by today’s verdict for providing heroin that killed a youthful person on Long Island, an all-far too-frequent occurrence in this district and our state because of to the proliferation of illegal medicine and the callous disregard for lifetime exhibited by the defendant and other folks,” mentioned United States Lawyer Peace. “I commend the prosecutors from my Office environment, the Particular Agents of the DEA, and the associates of the Extended Island Heroin Undertaking Force for their superb functioning on this circumstance. We will go on our extensive attempts to fight towards this horrible opioid epidemic.”
U.S. Attorney Peace extended distinctive many thanks to the Nassau County Police Department for its partnership all through the investigation and prosecution.
“This conviction is a sobering reminder of the devastation and senseless reduction of daily life inflicted by drug traffickers,” mentioned DEA Distinctive Agent-in-Demand Tarentino. “DEA and our endeavor forces are fully commited to bringing to justice those people accountable for fueling drug overdose and poisonings and defeating the drug cartel’s lethal felony empires.”
As tested at demo, Tunstall was a drug supplier who regularly marketed cocaine and heroin to consumers in Nassau County. The defendant fulfilled the victim at an outpatient rehabilitation facility in Mineola, and even offered him cocaine in the bathroom of the facility. Tunstall’s co-defendant, Jay Tenem, a drug addict who also met the defendant in a rehabilitation system, sent the fatal dose of heroin from Tunstall to the sufferer on October 28, 2018, in trade for heroin of his individual to use. Tenem collected the victim’s payment for the heroin, and introduced the funds again to Tunstall. The sufferer was uncovered dead of heroin intoxication the following early morning in his bedroom, by his mother. The evidence integrated text messages among the defendant and the sufferer, and amongst Tenem and the victim. In those messages, the defendant negotiated prices for the drugs with the sufferer, and told him “I don’t do this for enjoyable.”
Tenem pleaded guilty in February 2019 to distributing the heroin that prompted Alvarez’s demise and is awaiting sentencing.
Tunstall pleaded guilty in July 2021 to conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine, and was sentenced by the Court in December 2022 to 20 years’ imprisonment. When sentenced in this scenario, for creating Alvarez’s dying, Tunstall faces up to everyday living in jail.
The government’s circumstance is remaining dealt with by the Office’s Extensive Island Prison Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Justina Geraci and Samantha Alessi are in demand of the prosecution, with aid from Paralegal Expert Michael Compitello.
The Defendant:
JAMES T. TUNSTALL (also acknowledged as “Math”)
Age: 48
Freeport and Westbury, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-675 (JMA)