Crime & Safety
Long Island Man Gets 10 Years In Fentanyl Sale To Undercover Officers: DA
"This 10-year prison sentence will ensure that he no longer will be able to push poisonous drugs into our community."- DA Tierney
RIVERSIDE, NY — A Suffolk man was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by eight years of post-release supervision in connection with selling fentanyl to an undercover officer and illegally possessing a gun, District Attorney Ray Tierney said.
Randheer Shewprashad, 25, of Patchogue pleaded guilty in January to second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a weapon.
On two separate dates between March and April 2023, undercover officers purchased cocaine and fentanyl from Shewprashad, and on May 4, 2023, Shewprashad was arrested in a Suffolk police search warrant procedure at his Patchogue home, prosecutors said, adding that during the search cocaine, fentanyl, and two semi-automatic handguns were found.
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On June 22, 2023, Shewprashad pleaded guilty in that case to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
While he was out on bail and awaiting sentencing, Suffolk police and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, purchased cocaine and fentanyl from Shewprashad on three separate dates between October and November 2023, according to prosecutors.
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On Nov. 21, 2023, Shewprashad was arrested again after police executed a search warrant at his
Mastic home, and during the search of that home, another semi-automatic firearm was found, prosecutors said. Law enforcement also executed another search warrant at Shewprashad’s Patchogue home, where they recovered cocaine and fentanyl mixed with xylazine, according to prosecutors.
“This defendant was already pending sentence for selling deadly fentanyl and illegal gun
possession, but that did not deter him from continuing to commit these same crimes,” Tierney said. “This 10-year prison sentence will ensure that he no longer will be able to push poisonous drugs into our community.”
His attorney, Matthew Rosenblum of Commack, said his client was beset by a myriad of problems in "which he just didn't have the tools" to cope with.
"He tried to college tried to better himself and in the end, this is what happens," he said. "And it's a shame because he's a good hearted person. He's an intelligent person. He was just overwhelmed with adversity and handling it.
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