A Selden man has been indicted on major drug trafficking charges after authorities said he possessed enough fentanyl to kill more than 2.2 million people, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.
Phillip Gonzalez, 42, faces a potential sentence of 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top charge of operating as a major trafficker, an A-1 felony.
“The quantity of fentanyl recovered was so large that it had the potential to kill millions, underscoring the danger posed by those who traffic in this poison,” Tierney said. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone who profits from fueling the opioid crisis.”
The investigation began on Feb. 17, 2026, when Suffolk County police responded to an East Patchogue home where two people were found unconscious from a suspected overdose. One victim was pronounced dead, while the other was taken to a local hospital.
Police recovered glass vials and cellphones at the scene and traced one phone to Gonzalez, who allegedly sold the drugs.
An undercover detective later arranged multiple drug purchases from Gonzalez in Selden, authorities said.
On Feb. 26, police executed a search warrant at Gonzalez’s home, recovering more than four and a half kilograms of fentanyl, including quantities mixed with xylazine, a veterinary sedative commonly known as “tranq.”
Authorities also seized crystal meth, cocaine, ketamine, MDMA, and hundreds of vials believed to match those found at the overdose scene, along with two loaded handguns and drug distribution equipment.
In total, nearly seven kilograms of narcotics with an estimated street value exceeding $360,000 were confiscated.
Gonzalez was remanded ahead of his arraignment in Suffolk County Supreme Court as the investigation continues.