Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci announced today that accused drug dealer Michael Chapman, of the Town of Throop, was sentenced to an indeterminate prison term of three to nine years for Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a Class C Felony, for selling a bundle of heroin laced with a fentanyl compound which resulted in the fatal overdose of the victim. He was also sentenced to a determinate term of 9 years of imprisonment, followed by two years of post-release supervision on each of the five counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, Class B Felonies. All sentences were directed to run concurrently.
In September, Chapman pled guilty to five counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, Class B Felonies, and one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B Felony, involving unrelated sales of heroin laced with fentanyl compound to undercover members of the New York State Police between May and August of 2020. Chapman faces nine (9) years, followed by 2 years of post-release supervision on those charges. The maximum sentence for Manslaughter in the Second Degree is 5 to 15 years.
During his guilty plea, Chapman admitted that he consciously disregarded the known risk of a fatal overdose when he sold a bundle of heroin laced with a fentanyl compound, which caused the victim to suffer a fatal overdose, thereby recklessly causing the victim’s death.
Chapman confessed to selling the drugs to the victim, despite knowing that the heroin contained fentanyl. At the time he sold the lethal combination of drugs to the victim, he was released on pending six felony charges for sale and possession of fentanyl laced heroin in County Court, as bail could not be set by the Court on those charges.
Detective Sean DeRosa of the Auburn Police Department conducted a nine-month long investigation into the fatal overdose of the victim that occurred on January 18, 2021.
The investigation, which included cell phone analyses, revealed evidence that Chapman sold the lethal combination of heroin and fentanyl that caused the victim’s overdose death. The victim left behind two small children.
Dep. Chief Assistant DA Brittany Grome Antonacci prosecuted the case.
“Nearly one year ago, Matthew Becker’s life ended abruptly after ingesting heroin laced with fentanyl sold to him by this defendant. An overdose death affects more than just the victim; it affects those left behind and the community as a whole. The family members of Matthew Becker stood strong today and voiced the pain caused by this defendant” Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci said.
“This is the first time in our County’s history that an admitted drug dealer has been held criminally responsible for causing the fatal overdose of another. This defendant was on notice that the drugs he possessed and sold contained both heroin and fentanyl. Despite this knowledge, he did not stop selling that product, which is the epitome of recklessness. Part of our strategy in addressing the opioid epidemic is to target drug dealers who are causing fatal overdoses in our communities and hold them accountable for their actions. I strongly urge friends and family members of opiate overdose victims to reach out to their local legislators and push for legislation that will make it easier to prosecute those who bring these lethal drugs into our communities. I commend the thorough investigation conducted by the Auburn Police Department, as well as the investigation into the narcotic sales by members of the New York State Police. We will continue to work closely with local law enforcement to bring justice in these cases.”