Lindenhurst Man Indicted For Selling Drugs In Fatal Overdose: DA

COPIAGUE, NY — A Lindenhurst man was indicted on Friday, after he sold fentanyl-laced cocaine to another man, resulting in a fatal overdose, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.

Nicholas Romano, 33, of was charged in court with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance before Acting Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Steven A. Pilewski.

On Nov. 16, at about 9 p.m., Suffolk County Police responded to a residence in Copiague for an apparent drug overdose after the victim was found unresponsive in his bedroom by family members, according to the investigation.

The man was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital, where he ultimately passed away four days later as a result of the overdose, prosecutors said.

On Nov. 18, a cell phone belonging to the man was obtained by police. The phone revealed Facebook messages between himself and an account holder using the name “Nicky Racks,” which was later confirmed to belong to Romano, prosecutors said.

The messages between the man and Romano showed that on Nov. 15 and 16, Romano agreed to sell him $260 worth of “blow,” a street term used to describe cocaine, prosecutors said.

On Nov. 16, at about 7:10 p.m., Romano allegedly messaged the victim the location of where they should meet, prosecutors said. Less than two hours later, the victim was discovered unresponsive in his bed.

On November 17, 2022 — the day after the overdose occurred— the man's mother found a plastic bag containing a white powdery substance in a drawer in his bedroom, prosecutors said.

The substance was recovered by members of the Suffolk County Police Department and sent to the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory who determined the powdery substance to be a mixture of cocaine and fentanyl.

“Unfortunately, it appears that the victim here thought he was getting cocaine, but he was instead given a fatal quantity of fentanyl. Anyone considering using illegal drugs needs to be forewarned – the flood of cheap fentanyl into our communities means that you are most likely receivingfentanyl whether you know it or not,” said Tierney. “Our office is dedicated to com batting this epidemic by prosecuting those drug dealers who continue to flood Suffolk County with this poisonous substance.”

Romano was subsequently arrested on February 21, 2023, officials said.

Judge Pilewski ordered Romano held on $100,000 cash, $300,000 bond or $1 million partially secured bond on Friday.

He is due back in court on April 3, and faces up to nine years’ imprisonment on each count. He is being represented by Michael Elbert, Esq.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lauren Golombek of the Narcotics
Bureau.