Poughkeepsie Heroin Trafficker Sentenced To Prison

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — A heroin trafficker whose product posed a high risk of overdose was sentenced to 12 years in prison Friday.

Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Roosevelt Williams, also known as “Mumsie,” was sentenced in White Plains federal court in connection with the distribution of heroin that resulted in both fatal and non-fatal overdoses.

Williams, 59, had reached a plea agreement.

Also sentenced was Tony Reynolds, 58, to a term of 13 years in prison and to forfeit $5,000 in drug proceeds, for his role in distributing heroin with Williams.

Bharara said Willaims sold what became notorious in and around Poughkeepsie as a highly potent brand of heroin.

“And even as overdoses from Williams’ heroin grew, he continued to sell,” he said. “For his cold-hearted drug dealing that contributed to the devastation of heroin abuse in our communities, the court has handed down a stiff sentence of 12 years in prison.”

According to the complaints and information filed in court:

Over the course of several months, WILLIAMS and Reynolds conspired to sell significant quantities of a highly potent brand of heroin, dubbed “Empire” by a stamp on each bag sold, which had a devastating impact on users in and around Poughkeepsie, New York. The Empire brand became notorious among heroin users in the area as being particularly strong and posing a high risk of overdose. Even as this reputation and the number of overdoses grew, the defendants continued to sell significant quantities of Empire heroin virtually every day.

From at least in or about November 2015 through December 2015, law enforcement engaged in controlled purchases of Empire heroin on five occasions. Each of these sales was made by either WILLIAMS or Reynolds. Law enforcement recovered over $100,00 in cash and two firearms from WILLIAMS’s residence.

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