Riverhead Man Sentenced To 9 Years For Intent To Sell Cocaine: DA

RIVERHEAD, NY — A Riverhead man was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison after he was found with cocaine with intent to sell, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Joseph Douglas, 42, also had prior felony convictions dating back to 1998, Tierney said.

A jury found Douglas guilty in August of felony and misdemeanor drug charges stemming from the 2021 execution of a search warrant at his residence, Tierney said.

The evidence at trial established that on December 5, 2021, members of the Suffolk County District
Attorney’s Office’s fentanyl task force executed the court-authorized search warrant and recovered in excess of one-half ounce of cocaine, three digital scales, and cash, the DA said.

On June 6, 2023, Douglas was found guilty after a jury trial before Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro of two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony, and second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor, Tierney said.

On Friday, Judge Ambro sentenced Douglas to nine years in prison followed by three years of post-release supervision, Tierney said.

Douglas was represented by Anthony Rutkowski, Esq., who was not immediately available for comment.

According to Tierney, Douglas has prior convictions in 1998 for second-degree attempted murder and third-degree attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance — and in 2003, for first-degree attempted promoting prison contraband. And, said Tierney, he was also convicted in 2015 for third-degree attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance.

"We will not tolerate drug dealers in our community taking advantage of those with addictions," Tierney said. "This lengthy prison sentence will ensure that the dangerous drugs this defendant was peddling do not end up in our community here in Suffolk County."