Niagara Falls Man Clocked at 95 MPH in Heroin-Fueled Crash

Shaquan M. Shingledecker, 23, of Niagara Falls, NY, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin—just one chapter in a violent, drug-fueled crime spree that ended with a flaming wreck embedded in a family home. The conviction stems from a February 2, 2017, incident that began as a routine traffic stop and exploded into a 95-mile-per-hour nightmare through residential streets.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash, New York State Troopers attempted to pull over Shingledecker for a missing front license plate. Instead of complying, he slammed the gas and led police on a high-speed chase through commercial and residential zones in Niagara Falls. Witnesses described the blacked-out sedan fishtailing through intersections before losing control and slamming into the side of a house at the corner of Girard Avenue and 75th Street.

When officers reached the mangled vehicle, they found 95 glassine envelopes of heroin stuffed inside, a loaded Ruger handgun with 10 live rounds, and $1,439.08 in cash—cash that investigators believe represented drug proceeds. The home’s occupants were not inside at the time, but the structural damage was severe. Had anyone been home, the outcome could have been fatal.

U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford handed down the 30-month sentence, which will be served after Shingledecker completes a separate 24-month state sentence for a parole violation. The stacking of penalties underscores the federal system’s crackdown on repeat offenders flooding communities with heroin while arming themselves for violence.

The investigation was a joint effort by the New York State Police, under Major Edward Kennedy; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), led by Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict; the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt; and the Niagara Falls Police Department, directed by Superintendent Bryan DalPorto. Authorities called the case a textbook example of how drug distribution networks operate under a cloak of evasion and firepower.

Shingledecker’s case is a grim reminder: heroin doesn’t just destroy users—it fuels reckless, armed criminals who treat city blocks like racetracks. With over 90 glassine envelopes ready for street sale and a loaded gun within reach, this wasn’t just possession. It was a mobile crime kit stopped only by a wall of bricks—and the relentless work of law enforcement.