A 44-year-old Middle Island man was indicted for allegedly selling fentanyl out of his residence as well as animal cruelty.
On several occasions between May and July, an undercover police officer allegedly purchased large quantities of fentanyl from Troy Daniels. Each time, Daniels allegedly instructed the undercover officer to meet him in the parking lot of his apartment complex located on Tudor Lane in Middle Island. After the two met up, Daniels would, on each occasion, allegedly sell over two ounces of fentanyl to the officer, an amount sufficient to kill over 28,000 people.
On July 18, members of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office East End Drug Task Force executed a court-authorized search warrant at Daniels’ residence to search for narcotics and other related drug paraphernalia. When they entered, they allegedly observed three American Bully puppies living in deplorable and unsafe conditions.
The three puppies were allegedly found confined in one crate with no food or water, and laying in feces and urine. A fourth American Bully dog was allegedly observed to have severely infected and inflamed ears that required immediate veterinarian attention.
Members of the District Attorney’s Biological, Environmental and Animal Safety Team were contacted and all dogs were taken to a veterinarian for medical attention.
During the search inside the apartment, officers allegedly recovered more than one-half ounce of fentanyl, over one-half ounce of fentanyl mixed with heroin and over one-eighth ounce of fentanyl mixed with cocaine. Also allegedly recovered were drug paraphernalia, including glassine envelopes used to package narcotics for sale, scales, and a shotgun.
On August 5, Daniels was arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz for four counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree (all Class A felonies), thirteen counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree (all Class B felonies), one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree (a Class C felony), two counts of Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia, one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, one Count of Overdriving, Torturing, and Injuring Animals (all Class A misdemeanors).
Daniels is held on $500,000 cash, $1,000,000 bond or $2,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. He is due back in court on September 4 and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on the top count.
On August 11, Toni Gerwycki, Daniels’ girlfriend, was arraigned on the indictment before Horowitz for one count of Overdriving, Torturing, and Injuring Animals (a Class A misdemeanor) and three counts of Failure to Provide Proper Food and Drink to Impounded Animals (all unclassified misdemeanors).
Horowitz ordered Gerwycki to be released from jail without bail because both charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail.
Gerwycki is due back in court on August 22 and faces up to a year in jail, if convicted on the top count.
“Each illicit transaction of fentanyl has lethal potential,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney. “Dealers must face consequences commensurate with the threat that their actions pose to our community.”