A Holtsville man was indicted for allegedly selling fentanyl and cocaine that resulted in the death of a U.S. Navy veteran, and for allegedly possessing a loaded firearm, a high-capacity ammunition feeding device, and more than one-eighth of an ounce of cocaine and fentanyl.
On January 20 in North Lindenhurst, Jaden Bholan allegedly sold fentanyl and cocaine to a 41-year-old U.S. Navy veteran who had served four deployments overseas and had founded a local non-profit organization serving Suffolk County veterans. The victim allegedly ingested those substances, resulting in his death that evening. After Bholan was made aware of the veteran’s death, he allegedly continued to sell cocaine and fentanyl through numerous drug sales and vouched for the potency of the fentanyl he sold.
When members of the Suffolk County Police Department were attempting to apprehend Bholan at his apartment in Holtsville on March 27, Bholan allegedly ran and discarded approximately eight grams of cocaine, fentanyl, two cellphones, and a digital scale used to weigh narcotics. Bholan allegedly also had an additional cellphone and more than $2,000 in small denominations on his person.
During the execution of a search warrant at Bholan’s apartment, law enforcement allegedly found an unsecured loaded Glock firearm with a high-capacity ammunition feeding device, ammunition and a digital scale. The firearm was allegedly found in an area of the apartment accessible to a three-year-old child who also resides in the apartment.
On April 8, Bholan, 24, was arraigned on the indictment before Acting Supreme Court Justice Philip Goglas for the following charges:
- one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony
- one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a Class D violent felony
- two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, both Class B felonies
- four 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
- one count Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a Class A misdemeanor
- two counts of Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree, both Class A misdemeanors
- one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor
“A Navy veteran who served four deployments overseas and spent his time back home building an organization to help fellow veterans lost his life because this defendant allegedly chose to sell him poison,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “Even after learning of the veteran’s death, this defendant allegedly kept dealing, bragging in text messages to how potent his product was. We are still fighting the fentanyl epidemic and our legislature needs to pass our Death by Dealer bill to allow us to hold dealers who sell this poison responsible for causing deaths. Although we are allowed to prosecute the drug sales, there is no additional time whatsoever for causing death. That is unconscionable.”
Goglas ordered Bholan held on $300,000 cash, $600,000 bond, or $3,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Bholan is due back in court on May 15 and faces 3½ to 15 years in prison if convicted.