ORANGE COUNTY, NY – On Thursday, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced the sentencing of Ralph Mann, a 37-year-old Barryville resident, to four years in prison followed by two years of post-release supervision.
Mann pleaded guilty to the Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, connected to the May 11, 2022, death of a man in Port Jervis due to a fatal overdose of fentanyl.
The City of Port Jervis Police Department, supported by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office and the Orange County Medical Examiner, led the investigation.
The inquiry revealed text exchanges between Mann and the deceased arranging the drug sale. Despite the fatal consequence, current laws limited the charges to those Mann admitted guilt.
The District Attorney’s Office emphasizes that while some states impose stricter liabilities on drug sellers leading to death, New York does not hold such standards. The collaboration of local authorities was crucial in bringing this case to a resolution.