Clarkstown Man Sentenced to 21 Years for Fentanyl Distribution

A 26 year old Clarkstown man by the name of Justin Turnick has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for his distribution of Fentanyl in and around Rockland County. As a direct result of Turnik’s distribution, there have been three fatalities and three poisonings, all of either teenagers or young adults below the age of 24 years old. Turnik plead guilty to knowingly distributing fentanyl in its pure form, in pills, and in fentanyl laced powder. His 21 year sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. 

“The actions by the defendant in this case resulted in three individuals losing their lives and harming countless others. My Office is committed to keeping fentanyl and illegal narcotics off of our streets and our residents safe. I would like to commend the excellent work by the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force, Clarkstown Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Prosecutors from the Southern District of New York to hold the defendant accountable. Mr. Turnick will be facing a lengthy prison sentence for his actions,” said District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II

Fentanyl is a pain management narcotic 100 times more potent than morphine. It is a Schedule II Substance, which classifies the drug as easily addictive and holding a high potential for abuse. According to the DEA, between 2020 and 2021 “Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioid (primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl) rose 55.6 percent.” Every day, 136 people die from an opioid overdose. 

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