CENTRAL ISLIP, NY – Marlon Thompson, 42, of Selden, New York, will spend the next three decades behind bars after being sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison. Thompson was convicted in December 2022 of distributing fentanyl that caused the death of a young Long Island man, conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and illegal possession of firearms. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack.
The case, spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, alongside the DEA and Suffolk County law enforcement, detailed a brazen operation spanning from January 2017 to May 2019. Thompson flooded Suffolk County with a deadly cocktail of fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine. The most damning evidence: Thompson supplied the fentanyl that killed Freddy Koenig on Christmas Day 2018, found dead at his parents’ home in Selden. Even after Koenig’s death, Thompson continued his lucrative and lethal trade.
“Today, Thompson was held accountable for the large quantities of fentanyl he distributed all over Suffolk County which had a devastating impact on the community, including the tragic poisoning death of a young man on Long Island,” stated United States Attorney Breon Peace. “This Office, together with our federal and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to prosecute those who contribute to this epidemic.” The investigation uncovered a network of text messages between Thompson and his co-conspirators, outlining their illegal business. Authorities also seized thousands of dollars in drug money and paraphernalia from Thompson’s residence.
When law enforcement finally moved in, they didn’t just find drugs. A search of Thompson’s basement bedroom and a storage unit revealed a cache of illegal firearms, including a sawed-off shotgun and ammunition. “Today’s sentencing reflects the consequences to those who manufacture and distribute lethal narcotics, while tearing our communities apart,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in making sure those responsible for poisoning our communities bear the heavy burden of the lives they have destroyed.”
Suffolk County officials echoed the sentiment. Acting Police Commissioner Robert Waring stated, “The lethalness of fentanyl is not a secret, and yet, this defendant continued to distribute the deadly drug at the expense of others to make a profit.” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney highlighted the ongoing crisis, noting that at least one resident dies daily from fentanyl overdose in the county. “I appreciate the help from our federal partners… and I hope that this sentence brings some measure of closure to the family of Mr. Koenig,” Tierney added.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Alessi, Gabriel Park, and Catherine M. Mirabile of the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Adam Bernard. The case, E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-596 (S-1) (JMA), serves as a stark reminder of the deadly consequences of the fentanyl crisis and the relentless pursuit of justice by federal and local authorities.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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