A Bronx resident, Estherlyn Frias, also known as “Platinum” and “Silver,” has been charged with federal narcotics offenses that allegedly resulted in the death of an individual in Greenwich, Connecticut. The indictment was unsealed by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton and DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Kevin P. Castel.
“As alleged, Estherlyn Frias has been pumping deadly drugs into our communities for years, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and more,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The drugs that he sold claimed someone’s life, and it appears they may have claimed others before. Shockingly, Frias appears to have stored his significant drug supply in an apartment where his two young children lived with him, mere feet away from where they slept. Our communities’ suffering from this kind of personal profit ends now. As the charges in this case show, together with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who distribute illegal drugs.”
“Another senseless death at the hands of an individual pushing illicit narcotics laced with fentanyl,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino. As alleged, Estherlyn Frias repeatedly trafficked and sold fentanyl laced products, going so far as to recklessly stash these deadly drugs in a bedroom where his children slept. While today’s indictment against Mr. Frias will not bring back the person whose life was lost; it undoubtably represents a step towards justice and likely saved countless others. The DEA is committed to saving lives and will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners in targeting those responsible for poisoning our communities and destroying families.”
According to court documents and statements made during proceedings, between January 2023 and July 2025 Frias allegedly conspired with others to distribute several types of narcotics—including methamphetamine, fentanyl (and para-fluorofentanyl), cocaine base, cocaine, heroin, and methadone—from his Bronx apartment where he lived with his girlfriend and two young children.
Authorities allege that Victim-1 died from acute fentanyl and cocaine intoxication on or about July 1, 2025 after purchasing drugs from Frias outside his apartment the previous day—a pattern that had occurred over several weeks prior to the fatal incident.
A search warrant executed at Frias’s residence on the night of Victim-1’s death led officers to seize large quantities of narcotics: hundreds of glassine envelopes containing fentanyl or para-fluorofentanyl; bags containing heroin; bags containing crystal methamphetamine; capsules containing crack cocaine; bottles containing methadone; as well as drug paraphernalia such as empty capsules packages, a digital scale, and a ledger documenting drug sales.
Videos recovered from Frias’s phones reportedly show him retrieving drugs from a dresser near where one of his children was sleeping.
Frias faces three charges: conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death (carrying a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years up to life imprisonment), possession with intent to distribute narcotics (10 years minimum up to life), and possession with intent to distribute resulting in death (20 years minimum up to life). Sentencing will be determined by a judge if there is a conviction.
U.S. Attorney Clayton commended the investigative efforts of both the DEA and Greenwich Police Department.
The Office’s Narcotics Unit is prosecuting this case through Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca R. Delfiner and Benjamin M. Burkett.
It is noted that all charges are accusations at this stage; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
