Robert Mauro, a 40-year-old resident of Miller Place, has pleaded guilty to charges related to the death of a Patchogue woman and the fentanyl poisoning of an infant. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Mauro admitted to Manslaughter in the Second Degree and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance.
“This defendant pled to manslaughter after selling fentanyl that was so potent, it caused the fatal overdose of a 31-year-old woman and the near-fatal overdose of an infant," said District Attorney Tierney. He highlighted the need for a ‘Death by Dealer’ statute to hold drug dealers accountable when their actions result in fatalities.
The case began on January 13, 2024, when emergency services responded to a call about an unresponsive infant in Lake Grove. The child, referred to as “Baby Doe,” was diagnosed with acute fentanyl poisoning and required treatment at the hospital. The infant's father, James Carr, was arrested and charged with multiple offenses; his case is still pending.
Investigations revealed that Carr had purchased narcotics from Mauro earlier in January. Mauro was aware of the potency of the drugs he sold, having been informed they caused an overdose previously.
Further inquiries linked Mauro to another incident on January 29, where a 31-year-old woman died from an overdose in Patchogue. Phone records showed she had expressed concern about the strength of the drugs before purchasing them from Mauro.
An autopsy confirmed her death resulted from acute intoxication due to several substances including fentanyl and xylazine—a sedative used by veterinarians but increasingly found in street drugs.
On February 20, authorities executed a search warrant at Mauro’s residence where they recovered evidence despite his attempts to destroy it. Digital evidence indicated Mauro's awareness of how lethal his narcotics were.
Mauro pleaded guilty on October 17 before County Court Judge Philip Goglas. He faces up to fifteen years for manslaughter and seven years for drug sale charges. Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2024. His defense attorney is Matthew Tuohy.
Assistant District Attorney Danielle Davis is prosecuting this case with Detective Paul Rutoulo leading the investigation for Suffolk County Police Department's Narcotics Section.