Accused drug dealer indicted on charges he sold disguised fentanyl pills that killed Elmont man

A Lynbrook man was indicted Thursday on federal charges of selling fentanyl-laced pills made to look like prescription oxycodone that killed an Elmont man in 2022.

Ryan Mueller, 32, was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine and alprazolam, an anti-anxiety medication also known as Xanax. He was also charged with distributing a controlled substance causing death and possession of illegal weapons.

Prosecutors said Mueller sold pressed fentanyl-laced pills, designed to look like oxycodone, which the Elmont man, 49, ingested in December 2022 and then died of a fentanyl overdose.

“As alleged, the defendant purposely disguised fentanyl to look like prescription drugs and sold them to unsuspecting customers, leading to the poisoning death of a Long Island resident,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement. “The defendant’s callous disregard for human life in pushing deadly drugs on to the streets of Long Island concealed as prescription drugs has contributed to the alarming opioid epidemic that has continued to harm communities in this district.”

Police said they had surveillance that showed Mueller had also bought a commercial pill press and sold a kilo of cocaine.

“This corroborates witness testimony that the defendant is a large-scale dealer of cocaine, heroin, and oxycodone,” a prosecutor's detention memo states.

Federal prosecutors unsealed the grand jury’s indictment Thursday afternoon as Mueller, who was arrested Thursday morning, was arraigned on the charges in the Eastern District courthouse in Central Islip.

Mueller pleaded not guilty and was ordered detained in federal custody. His attorney could not be reached for comment.

Police recovered 4 kilograms of fentanyl at Mueller’s home Thursday, along with drug paraphernalia at another location including a powder dryer, blender and grinder.

The Elmont man who died was found with shiny, blue pills marked with “K9” on one side in a bottle found on a living room table. The pills each tested positive for fentanyl and caffeine.

The victim’s phone showed text messages with a drug dealer to buy oxycodone. Video surveillance and phone records showed the dealer had bought drugs from Mueller, according to the detention memo.

If convicted, Mueller faces 20 years to life in prison.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.