S.I. man arrested after alleged fentanyl sales cause 2 fatal ODs

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — A Staten Island man was arrested and charged earlier today with allegedly selling at least 40 grams of fentanyl and heroin laced with fentanyl between July 2018 and April 2019, resulting in two fatal overdoses.

Nalerton Charles, 38, otherwise known as “Lite,” allegedly sold narcotics to a 43-year-old victim that died of a drug-related overdose on Sep. 9, 2018, according to a press release from the United States Department of Justice.

Drug packaging found near the victim’s body was consistent with packaging that Charles used when selling narcotics, the press release says. In addition, video obtained by investigations allegedly showed Charles speaking with the victim outside of his home shortly before his death.

On April 23, 2019, a 29-year-old victim died of a drug-related overdose in his Staten Island home after Charles allegedly sold him narcotics, the release says.

On the morning of the victim’s death, the 29-year-old texted Charles, “Is it mixed w fentonal…Just wanna know to be careful,” the statement said.

Charles later texted the 29-year-old “U good,” the release says.

The victim’s body was found shortly after.

Additionally, Charles allegedly sold pure fentanyl to a confidential source, along with an undercover NYPD officer, in doses that could have been lethal if consumed, according to the DOJ release.

“As alleged, Charles sold heroin laced with fentanyl, and on occasion fentanyl alone, without regard for the potentially deadly consequences of the narcotics to users,” United States Attorney Donoghue said.

“This office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to save lives by arresting and prosecuting those who contribute to the opioid epidemic by pushing these dangerous drugs,” Donoghue said.

While prosecutors listed the defendant’s name as Nalerton Charles, public records list him as Charles Nalerton.

Charles has a last known residence on the 100 block of Kramer Street in South Beach, according to public records.

“This arrest underscores the dangers posed by opioid traffickers,” said DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan.

“Fentanyl is the leading killer among street drugs because of its fatal potency of 2-3 milligrams,” Donovan said.“ Every time you use, you put your life in the hands of a drug dealer. Law enforcement’s tireless effort to safeguard our communities from drug traffickers will continue.”

Drug overdoses have become the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Justice.

This increase in overdose deaths has been largely caused by a surge of fentanyl — an extremely potent drug described to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.

“Anyone who deals in illegal narcotics, including opioids, should understand that the nation’s best investigators will stop at nothing to fight crime, target traffickers and keep safe everyone we serve,” NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill said.

“I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, the DEA, and the investigators involved in this investigation for their efforts, which resulted in this arrest,” O’Neill said.

The Advance recently reported on the severity of the opioid epidemic on Staten Island.

In 2016, the last year for which final data is available, each of Staten Island’s four neighborhood districts’ rates exceeded the city-wide rate per 100,000 people, according to data from the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), the Advance previously reported.

One of the biggest contributors to that spike has been the increased prevalence of fentanyl, and other synthetic opioids, the report said.

Data the CDC collected from the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) showed a sharp increase in the number of overdose deaths involving fentanyl from 2012 to 2017.

If convicted, Charles faces a mandatory minimum of sentence of five years in prison and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, according to the DOJ press release.