Manhattan Man Charged With Distributing Narcotics That Caused The Death Of Resident At Transitional Facility

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department ("NYPD"), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the filing of a Superseding Indictment charging MATTHEW SPATOLA with distribution of narcotics resulting in death in connection with the June 26, 2026, overdose death of a resident ("Victim-1") of a Manhattan building providing transitional and emergency shelter to homeless individuals, as well as distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. SPATOLA is detained, awaiting trial before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams.

"As alleged, Matthew Spatola provided lethal narcotics to a woman in the very building where she was living to escape addiction," said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. "But even her death did not stop Spatola from allegedly continuing to deal drugs, exposing particularly vulnerable neighbors fighting for their own recovery to the same life-threatening poison that killed her. If you deal drugs inside a transitional facility, you are dealing death to the same people trying to fight it, and you will be held accountable."

"As alleged in the complaint, Matthew Spatola callously preyed on individuals at a transitional housing facility in Manhattan," said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. "The defendant sold the drugs that resulted in one resident's death and continued to distribute them even after her demise, caring more for money than human life. This individual is now being held accountable and can no longer sell his poison on our streets. I thank our investigators and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York for bringing dangerous drug peddlers to justice."

As alleged in the Superseding Indictment, other public filings, and during court proceedings:

On June 26, 2026, SPATOLA sold narcotics to Victim-1 in the building-which provides transitional and emergency shelter-where they both lived, causing her death.

Surveillance video shows that, on or about June 26, 2026, SPATOLA and Victim-1 were seen together, and that at approximately 9:00 a.m., SPATOLA handed Victim-1 narcotics. SPATOLA returned to Victim-1's room again that afternoon, briefly entering and exiting twice before leaving. A short time later, Victim-1 was found dead in her room. A glassine envelope and pipes recovered on or near her body tested positive for cocaine.

Rather than stop dealing, SPATOLA continued to distribute narcotics to other residents of the building in the days following Victim-1's death. On July 14, 2026, law enforcement executed search warrants on SPATOLA's residence and person and recovered a substantial quantity of narcotics and narcotics distribution paraphernalia, which tested positive for crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl.

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SPATOLA, 37, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of distribution of narcotics resulting in death, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute narcotics, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD, the Digital Forensics Unit, and the Complex Analytics and Social Media Enhancement Team at the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, as well as the Special Agents and Task Force Officers assigned to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.

The case is being handled by the Office's Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Zabel is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.