Man Indicted For Selling Heroin, Fentanyl After Fatal OD: DA

EAST QUOGUE, NY — After a woman died of an overdose in East Quogue in 2018, a Flanders man was indicted Friday on charges related to the sale of drugs, including heroin and fentanyl, Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini said.

On Sept. 5, 2018, the Southampton Town Police Department responded to the scene of a fatal overdose in East Quogue., Sini said. The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be mixed drug toxicity from a combination of heroin, fentanyl, Oxycodone and cocaine, Sini said.

An analysis of the victim’s cellphone showed recent text messages from a contact under the name “Tone” informing the victim that he had heroin available for purchase and providing directions to a location where the sale would occur, Sini said. An investigation revealed that the phone number listed as “Tone” belonged to Justin Adamo, 34, and the directions provided were consistent with Adamo’s residence in Flanders, Sini said.

An investigation by the district attorney’s office and the Southampton Town Police Department revealed that Adamo would allegedly travel to Queens to pick up narcotics, which he would then sell in Suffolk County, Sini said.

On Feb. 17, Southampton Town Police officers conducted a traffic stop of Adamo’s vehicle on Sunrise Highway in East Quogue and found Adamo in possession of heroin, a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, and cocaine in packaging consistent with drug sales, Sini said.

The heroin was in packaging stamped with the name “Top Gun,” Sini said.

On March 31, Southampton Town Police officers conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle in which Adamo was a passenger; Adamo and another individual were found in possession of a bag of heroin, stamped with the name “Hall Pass," Sini said.

The investigation also revealed evidence of an alleged drug sale by Adamo on March 25; after an investigation, Adamo was arrested on July 6 and charged with the sale of heroin and fentanyl on Sept. 5, 2018, as well as the illegal possession of a switchblade, Sini said.

Adamo, 34, was charged with three counts of third degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a felony; five counts of third degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony; one count of fifth degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony; three counts of seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor; and one count of fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor, Sini said.

“The combination of heroin and fentanyl is highly lethal, and the drug dealers profiting from this poison are well aware of that,” Sini said. “This is exactly why we need stronger legislation, including a ‘death by dealer’ statute, that adequately reflects the deadly consequences of selling drugs."

He added that while in 2018, Suffolk County saw a decline in opioid-related deaths, the fight against the insidious epidemic is far from over. "We will continue working with our partners in law enforcement to investigate and prosecute drug dealers and hold them responsible for their actions,” Sini said.

“This case is yet another example of the deadly consequences associated with opioid use,” said Southampton Town Police Chief Steven Skrynecki. “The Southampton Town Police Department, working with the Suffolk County DA’s office and our East End partners, will not rest until we rid our communities of those who demonstrate a complete disregard for the law and human life itself by promoting and profiting from the sale of these deadly substances.”

Adamo was arraigned on the indictment Friday by Suffolk County Court Judge Karen M. Wilutis and was remanded without bail pending a bail application by defense counsel, Sini said. He is due back in court on July 23 in front of Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice William J. Condon, Sini said.

If convicted of the top count, Adamo faces a maximum sentence of up to nine years in prison, Sini said.