2 People Indicted For West Babylon Man's Fatal Overdose: DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — Two people were arraigned multiple times and charged in connection with the fatal overdose of a West Babylon man last month, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney and Suffolk County Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison announced on Thursday.

Police said that Vito Frabizio, 32, of Deer Park was arrested and charged with eight counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance; 18 counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; five counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; six counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, misdemeanors; and three counts of criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second-degree, misdemeanors.

Police said his co-defendant Joan Mangels, 40, of Amityville was arrested and charged with two counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance; eight counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; six counts seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and three counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia.

On March 7, Frabizio communicated with an undercover detective using two cell phone numbers and sold over one-eighth of an ounce of heroin and fentanyl as well as a quantity of cocaine to the detective in exchange for $400, police said.

The next day, officers responded to the scene of a fatal overdose in West Babylon, police said. Frank Cairo was discovered by his girlfriend on his bed where he had been attending a virtual Narcotics Anonymous meeting via Zoom, Tierney said.

Officers recovered a quantity of fentanyl, a quantity of heroin and fentanyl, three hypodermic needles, and a cellular telephone at the scene, belonging to Cairo, police said.

Under a contact named "Vito", police found conversations on Cairo's phone that revealed Frabizio had sold packages of fentanyl and a heroin-fentanyl mixture to Cairo on March 7, Tierney said.

The number for Vito was one of the same numbers the detective used to communicate with Frabizio, officials said.

On March 9, Frabizio communicated with the undercover officer again using the same two telephone numbers; this time he directed the undercover officer to go to the Sayville Motor Lodge located on Sunrise Highway in Sayville, Tierney said.

Once there, Frabizio sold the detective one eighth of an ounce of fentanyl and more than one eighth of an ounce of cocaine, Tierney said.

During that purchase, the undercover officer observed additional quantities of what appeared to be narcotics inside a motel room, as well as a female, Mangels, lying on the bed, officials said.

Police later issued a search warrant for the room and and discovered over half an ounce of fentanyl, a quantity of cocaine, and two digital scales and also recovered $520 of the pre-recorded buy money in addition to $3,839 in cash from their shared motel room, Tierney said.

Frabizio and Mangels were both arrested and charged with multiple felony narcotics offenses, police said. None of these of those charges were bail eligible, police said; Mangels was released on her own recognizance and placed on supervised release, Tierney said.

Frabizio was not arraigned on the charges until March 16, as he was in the hospital; he was released on his own recognizance with the condition that he be placed on supervised release, Tierney said.

At that time, Frabizio was not yet charged with the two additional counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance relating to the death of Cairo and bail could not be requested as there were no qualifying offenses, Tierney said.

On March 25, Frabizio was arrested again on new felony charges, Tierney said. Utilizing several new telephone numbers, Frabizio and Mangels contacted an undercover narcotics officer and again arranged to sell additional quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, officials said.

The undercover officer communicated with both Frabizio and Mangels via text message to make the arrangements and this time, the detective was directed to a different location in West Babylon, Tierne said..

The duo then sold over an eighth of an ounce of fentanyl as well as a quantity of cocaine to the detective in exchange for $600; they were arrested mid-transaction and charged with a host of new felony narcotics offenses, Tierney said.

Police later conducted a search of their West Babylon apartment and found over an eighth of an ounce of fentanyl, one plastic bag containing a quantity of cocaine, 29 blue round tablets which also tested positive for fentanyl, a cellular telephone that was later discovered to be the same phone number used to communicate with the undercover officer, a digital scale, and a benefit card in the name of “Joan Mangels," Tierney said.

An additional quantity of cocaine was found in Frabizio’s possession, police said. Mangels and Frabizio were arraigned on the new offenses on March 26; the district attorney’s office requested $100,000 cash/$200,000 bond or $500,000 partially secured bond for each, Tierney said.

Mangels was arraigned on the first indictment on March 29, police said, and bail was set at $25,000 cash /$50,000 bond or $250,000 secured bond, Tierney said. She had no prior felony convictions and was not charged with any sales from March 7 or March 9, including the sale that caused the death of another, police said.

Mangels is scheduled to be arraigned on the new indictment on April 20 and remains in custody pending arraignment, police said.

On March 31, Frabizio was arraigned on the first indictment in front of Justice Richard I. Horowitz at Good Samaritan Hospital for the events of March 7 and March 9. Bail was set at $100,000 cash/$250,000 bond or $500,000 secured bond, officials said.

He was also arraigned on Thursday before Judge Collins on the second indictment stemming from the alleged post-release March 25 narcotics sale and was remanded without bail, Tierney said.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction and seeking help, call the National Drug Helpline: 844-289-0979, or visit their website here.