DA: Va. fugitive charged with fentanyl, meth possession, menacing Suffolk cop with handgun
In addition to “thousands of pressed fentanyl pills and more than 200 pressed methamphetamine pills,” the defendant Shanti Felton had two illegal and loaded firearms, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement on Tuesday. Credit: Danielle Silverman
A 19-year-old man, wanted for armed robbery in Virginia and hiding in Bay Shore with a stash of fentanyl and methamphetamine, menaced a Suffolk police officer with a loaded automatic handgun during his arrest, prosecutors said.
Shanti Felton, who was indicted on Tuesday, was captured on Oct. 19 after trying to “flee through a basement window, armed with a fully automatic, blue and black ghost gun,” District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a statement on Tuesday.
“After a brief standoff, Felton dropped the loaded weapon and surrendered,” prosecutors said.
The handgun had no serial number — and, according to the prosecutors, was “modified to shoot fully automatic.”
In addition to “thousands of pressed fentanyl pills and more than 200 pressed methamphetamine pills,” the defendant had two illegal and loaded firearms, Tierney's statement said.
“This defendant is an allegedly dangerous fugitive who not only was wanted in Virginia for robbery, but when found here in Suffolk County menaced a police officer with an unserialized illegally modified firearm,” Tierney said.
“Thankfully, no one was hurt,” said Tierney, saluting Suffolk police and the U.S. Marshals Service, which joined the investigation.
Felton, who faces a prison term in New York of 20 years if convicted of the top count, criminal possession of a controlled substance, also is accused of a May 7, 2021, armed robbery in Virginia’s Prince William County.
A search of the Bay Shore home found 4,035 blue fentanyl pills, 220 orange methamphetamine pills, $5,510 in cash and four cellphones, prosecutors said.
The defendant also was charged with menacing a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a ghost gun.
All of the charges except for the last are felonies.
At Tuesday’s arraignment, a Suffolk County Court judge set Felton’s bail at $2 million cash, $4 million bond or $6 million partially secured bond.
Felton is represented by the Legal Aid Society who have a policy of not commenting.
'I do think he saw the writing on the wall' Rex Heuermann's Attorney Michael Brown sat down with Newsday following his client's sentencing to discuss the case. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.
'I do think he saw the writing on the wall' Rex Heuermann's Attorney Michael Brown sat down with Newsday following his client's sentencing to discuss the case. NewsdayTV's Shari Einhorn reports.
