Suffolk County Man Charged With Manslaughter After Selling Drugs That Led to Overdose: DA

A Ronkonkoma man is charged with manslaughter after selling heroin and fentanyl that caused a man to die of an overdose, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota.

James Fava, 28, is charged with one count of second degree manslaughter, a felony, one count of third degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a felony, one count of third degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony, and fourth degree conspiracy, a felony, Spota said.

He was arraigned on the upgraded charge of second degree manslaughter Tuesday, he said.

At a press conference Tuesday, Spota said police had received reports of drug sales at a house on Wildwood Road in Ronkonkoma; a purchaser of drugs was stopped and Fava was arrested.

After a search warrant uncovered Fava's cell phone, Spota said text messages indicated that Fava had sold heroin and fentanyl to Bryan Gallagher, of Oakdale.

Gallagher, 28, Spota said, died of a fentanyl intoxication.

Fava sold drugs to Gallagher a "number of times," Spota said.

Text messages revealed that Fava had told Gallagher that he didn't think "he'd be able to handle the potency of the drugs," but sold them to him, anyway, Spota said.

Gallagher was found dead in July, Spota said.

Even after Gallagher's death, Fava did not stop selling the drugs, Spota said. "Absolutely not," he said.

Fava pleaded not guilty to all charges before Justice William Condon Tuesday and was held on $200,000 bond and $100,000 cash bail, Spota said.

Spota said he hopes the charge serves as a warning to drug dealers "selling this poison," that they will be charged with homicide, if someone dies from the deadly drugs.

Fava had been in custody since July 23, on the sale and possession of controlled substance charges, Spota said.

His next court date is January 17.