Two charged in OD death of Bedford teen

By THANE GRAUEL

Two Queens men have been arrested by federal authorities in the drug-related death of a Town of Bedford teenager.

Federal prosecutors announced Thursday that the two had sold drugs twice to the teen in May, delivering them on one occasion “in a parking lot around the corner from a local middle and high school campus,” an apparent reference to John Jay or Fox Lane.

Neither the young man’s identity nor his exact age was released. Arrested were Jordan Sharon, 19, and Juan Umpierrez, 20. 

They are charged in the recently unsealed indictment with a single count each of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life; distribution of controlled substances near a school, which carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison; and distribution of controlled substances to a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of one year in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years.

The arrests were announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the NYPD. 

“A young life lost, a family forever shattered, all because of drug trafficking fueled by greed,” said DEA New York Task Force Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Roberts. “As alleged, these defendants sold dangerous drugs to a teenager near a school, who days later died from cocaine and MDMA intoxication. The DEA will not stand by as drug traffickers continue to put young lives at risk.”

The drugs the pair are accused of selling to the teen include cocaine, MDMA (commonly known as ecstasy) and oxycodone. The pair, authorities said, conducted their business throughout the region using texting applications.

“Two days after the second sale, after consuming the drugs provided to him by the defendants, the Minor Victim died at home in Westchester County, New York,” authorities said in a statement. “The Westchester County Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that the minor victim’s death was caused by intoxication with cocaine and MDMA.”

“This office will tirelessly pursue individuals who traffic highly dangerous drugs to children and young adults on and around school campuses,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “Jordan Sharon and Juan Umpierrez allegedly operated a delivery service for controlled substances, which resulted in the tragic overdose death of a minor child, and sold controlled substances near the victim’s school, a place that should be a safe haven for children. We will never cease our efforts to hold accountable those who target young and vulnerable people.”

McDonald also credited the investigative work of the DEA, the NYPD, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office and the Bedford Police Department.