Nassau Man Faces Life In Prison For Selling Fatal Heroin

NASSAU COUNTY, NY — A drug dealer who sold heroin that caused a fatal overdose was found guilty of distributing the drug.

A federal jury convicted James Tunstall, 48, who has homes in both Westbury and Freeport, of distributing heroin. The drugs he sold led to the fatal overdose of 24-year-old Sergio Niko Alvarez in Jericho on Oct. 29, 2018.

“Tunstall, an admitted drug dealer, is held responsible by today’s verdict for selling heroin that killed a young man on Long Island, an all-too-frequent occurrence in this district and our country due to the proliferation of illegal drugs and the callous disregard for life displayed by the defendant and others,” said United States Attorney Breon Peace. “I commend the prosecutors from my office, the Special Agents of the DEA and the members of the Long Island Heroin Task Force for their outstanding working on this case. We will continue our comprehensive efforts to fight against this terrible opioid epidemic.”

According to officials, Tunstall regularly sold cocaine and heroin to people in Nassau County. He met Alvarez in a rehabilitation facility in Mineola, and even sold him cocaine in the bathroom of the facility.

Tunstall's co-defendant in the case, Jay Tenem, delivered the fatal drugs to Alvarez in exchange for heroin for his own use. He took the money for the sale back to Tunstall.

Alvarez was found dead from heroin intoxication by his mother the next morning.

Tenem pleaded guilty in Feb. 2019 to distributing the heroin that caused Alvarez's death. He is awaiting sentencing.

Tunstall pleaded guilty in July 2021 to conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison in December 2022 for that. He now faces life in prison when sentenced for the latest conviction.