Drug Dealer Indicted In New Rochelle Heroin Overdose

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A drug dealer has been charged in the heroin overdose deaths of a New Rochelle man and Bronx man. Joon H. Kim, the acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced Thursday announced the arrest of Frankie Beqiraj, 27, charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, oxycodone and alprazolam. The indictment alleges that he and his co-conspirators distributed heroin that resulted in the deaths of Leonides Madrid, 28, of New Rochelle Jan. 9, 2017, and Robert Vivolo, 25, of the Bronx, Oct. 21, 2016.

Kim said Beqiraj worked with others to sell a range of drugs.

“As alleged, two young people are dead, victims of Beqiraj’s alleged heroin dealing and of the opioid epidemic that is sweeping the country,” he said.

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The investigation was aided by the New York Police Department, the New Rochelle Police Department and the Westchester County Overdose Response Initiative.

New Rochelle Police Commissioner Patrick Carroll said the arrest and indictment of Beqiraj was a strong example of his department’s commitment to fight against the opioids epidemic that his community faces today.

“Working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners, the NYPD, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney sends a strong message to drug dealers that we will do all we can to arrest and prosecute those selling drugs in our community,” he said.

Beqiraj faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory sentence of 20 years in prison.

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