2-Time Felon Sold Deadly Drug Cocktail: Putnam County Jury

CARMEL, NEW YORK — A two-time felon accused of drug dealing tied to a death in Southeast was found guilty Jan. 12 after a week and a half long jury trial in Putnam County Court, District Attorney Robert V. Tendy announced Wednesday.

William E. Mancusi III was convicted of two counts each of Criminal Possession of a Controlled
Substance and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree, felonies.

His previous convictions were due to drugged driving. In 2014, Mancusi was convicted by a Putnam County Jury of felony Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs. He had a prior vehicular manslaughter conviction stemming from an incident in 2008 during which he struck and killed a bicyclist in Dutchess County.

In November 2021, New York State Police investigators responded to a fatal overdose in the town of Southeast.

Investigation revealed that the drugs tied to the fatality had come from Mancusi, prosecutors said.

Members of the New York State Police Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team were able to conduct a series of undercover operations in the following days during which, prosecutors said, Mancusi provided a confidential informant with a heroin "cocktail."

The 47-year-old was heard on audio recordings bragging that the combination was some of the “strongest” stuff that he had had “in over a year” and urged the confidential informant to “be careful” in using the drugs, prosecutors said.

A chemical analysis conducted by NYSP Forensic Scientist Jenna Snow demonstrated that the
drugs sold were, in fact, a very potent combination of heroin, fentanyl and xylazine.

"This defendant knowingly pushed deadly drugs into our community. The drug cocktail he was selling had an additional deadly layer to it when you consider it had Xylazine, which is unresponsive to Narcan," Tendy said. "This was extraordinarily dangerous stuff."

County Court Justice Joseph Spofford sent Mancusi to the Putnam County Correctional Facility immediately after the jury handed down its verdict. Sentencing is currently scheduled for March 5. Mancusi faces a maximum of 24 years in state prison.

“Mr. Mancusi clearly didn’t learn his lessons from his two previous state prison sentences,” Tendy said. “We are grateful that we have removed a career criminal from our community and are grateful to the jury for their service.”

The case was prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Breanne Smith and Assistant District
Attorney Joseph Charbonneau.

Tendy commended the NYSP VGNET for quickly investigating and assessing Mr. Mancusi’s involvement, as well as the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Unit and the New York State Police Crime Lab for their assistance.