RIVERHEAD MAN SENTENCED TO NINE YEARS IN PRISON FOR POSSESSING COCAINE WITH INTENT TO SELL

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Joseph Douglas, 42, of Riverhead, was sentenced to nine years in prison after a jury found him guilty last month of felony and misdemeanor drug charges stemming from the 2021 execution of a search warrant at his residence.

“We will not tolerate drug dealers in our community taking advantage of those with addictions,” said District Attorney Tierney. “This lengthy prison sentence will ensure that the dangerous drugs this defendant was peddling do not end up in our community here in Suffolk County.”

The evidence at trial established that on December 5, 2021, members of the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office’s Fentanyl Task Force executed a court-authorized search warrant at Douglas’ residence. During the execution of the search warrant, officers recovered in excess of one-half ounce of cocaine, three digital scales, and cash.

On June 6, 2023, Douglas was found guilty after a jury trial heard before Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Richard Ambro, of two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B felony, and Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor.

On September 8, 2023, Judge Ambro sentenced Douglas to nine years in prison followed by three years of post-release supervision. Douglas was represented by Anthony Rutkowski, Esq.

Douglas has prior convictions in 1998 for Attempted Murder in the Second Degree and Attempted Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, in 2003 for Attempted Promoting Prison Contraband in the First Degree, and in 2015 for Attempted Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Danielle Davis and Jennifer Wickers of the Narcotics Bureau, with investigative assistance by Riverhead Town Police Detective Daniel Hogan, assigned to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Fentanyl Task Force.

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Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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