By USA Daily Now 
A New York drug kingpin has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term after his involvement in a large-scale cocaine and fentanyl trafficking operation led to two fatal overdoses. RUSSELL DEFREITAS, 55, of Holbrook, was sentenced to 53 years in prison on Tuesday, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Defreitas was found guilty of operating as a major drug trafficker and 91 other charges. The case stems from an incident on May 9, 2023, when two individuals—a male and a female—overdosed in a hotel room booked under Defreitas’ name. When the female victim overdosed, Defreitas instructed his associates not to call 911, removed drugs and evidence from the room, and went to a nearby Wendy’s restaurant. Hours later, he allowed an associate to call emergency services, but by then, both victims had died.
Authorities arrested Defreitas two days later and executed search warrants on his trailer and hotel room. They recovered cocaine, fentanyl, two loaded firearms, cutting agents, drug packaging materials, scales, and numerous hotel room key cards. At the time of his arrest, Defreitas was also found in possession of bank cards belonging to the overdose victims.
SUFFOLK COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY RAYMOND TIERNEY emphasized the need for stronger legislation in a statement, endorsing a bill known as Chelsey’s Law. “This defendant’s actions directly led to two overdose fatalities, yet our current laws don’t allow us to charge these preventable deaths as the homicides that they are,” Tierney said. Chelsey’s Law would provide prosecutors with additional tools to hold drug dealers accountable when their products cause death.
Defreitas represented himself in court without a lawyer. His sentencing underscores the devastating impact of the opioid crisis and the urgent need for legislative action to address it.
Fox News Digital’s SOPHIA COMPTON contributed to this report.
**Sources:**
[Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office](https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/DA)
[Fox News Digital](https://www.foxnews.com)