William Mancussi III
Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy announced today that a Kent man was found guilty by a Putnam Jury on January 12, 2024, of selling a dangerous combination of heroin and fentanyl on two occasions. The conviction came after a week and a half long jury trial in the Putnam County Court.
William E Mancusi III, 47, was convicted of two Counts each of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree, each a Class B felony, in connection with his possession and sale of a substance containing Heroin, Fentanyl and Xylazine.
On November 12, 2021, New York State Police Investigators responded to a fatal overdose in the town of Southeast where investigation revealed that the drugs tied to the fatality had come from Mancusi. Acting swiftly, the members of the New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (VGNET) were able to conduct a series of undercover operations in the following days during which Mancusi provided a confidential informant with a heroin, fentanyl and xylazine cocktail.
Mancusi was heard on audio recordings bragging that the combination was some of the “strongest” stuff that he has had “in over a year” and urged the confidential informant to “be careful” in using the drugs. A chemical analysis conducted by NYSP Forensic Scientist Jenna Snow demonstrated that the drugs sold were, in fact, a very potent combination of heroin, fentanyl and xylazine.
District Attorney Robert Tendy stated “this defendant knowingly pushed deadly drugs into our community. The drug cocktail he was selling had an additional deadly layer to it when you consider it had Xylazine, which is unresponsive to Narcan. This was extraordinarily dangerous stuff.”
County Court Justice Joseph Spofford remanded Mancusi to the Putnam County Correctional Facility immediately after the jury handed down its verdict. Sentencing is currently scheduled for March 5, 2024. Mancusi faces a maximum of 24 years in state prison.
In 2014, Mancusi was convicted by a Putnam County Jury of the felony Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs and has a prior Vehicular Manslaughter conviction stemming from an incident in 2008 during which Mancusi, who was operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, struck and killed a bicyclist in Dutchess County.
“Mr. Mancusi clearly didn’t learn his lessons from his two previous state prison sentences,” District Attorney Robert V. Tendy said. “We are grateful that we have removed a career criminal from our community and are grateful to the jury for their service.”
The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Breanne Smith and Assistant District Attorney Joseph Charbonneau. Members of the NYSP VGNET are especially commended for quickly investigating and assessing Mr. Mancusi’s involvement, as well as the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Unit and the New York State Police Crime Lab for their assistance.
