Rockland County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution Leading to Multiple Overdoses
A Rockland County man has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl, a potent opioid linked to multiple fatal and non-fatal overdoses in the region.
Justin Turnick, 25, of Congers, New York, admitted in federal court on Thursday to distributing fentanyl between February 2020 and April 2022. According to prosecutors, the fentanyl he supplied resulted in the deaths of three individuals and serious harm to three others. Turnick entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern.
Federal prosecutors say Turnick regularly sold fentanyl in various forms, including as pills, powder, and pure fentanyl, to individuals in Rockland County. Among those affected were Gustaf Olsen and Jonathan Shashoua, who died in February and July of 2020, respectively. Another victim, Ione Koenig, suffered a non-fatal overdose in July 2021 but died the following day.
Three additional individuals, including a female victim in January 2021 and a male victim in April 2022, survived overdoses after allegedly using fentanyl supplied by Turnick.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams emphasized the impact of fentanyl distribution in a statement following the plea. “Justin Turnick’s actions didn’t just facilitate addiction—they fueled a crisis that claimed lives and inflicted unimaginable suffering,” Williams said. “This Office remains resolute in its mission to combat the fentanyl epidemic and seek justice for those affected.”
Turnick pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, a charge that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years. His final sentencing will be determined by the court.
The case was investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Clarkstown Police Department, and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from several other regional agencies.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York is handling the prosecution, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan W. Allison and Kathryn Wheelock leading the case.
