MONTICELLO, NY — Gerrod Prater, 41, of Liberty, NY, was convicted on March 5 for the possession of crack cocaine and fentanyl.

Prater was found to have dealt drugs at the Knights Inn, a facility leased by the Sullivan County Department of Social Services (DSS) for people recovering from drug addiction. An infant died of a fentanyl overdose there last spring.

County District Attorney Brian Conaty said Prater was convicted in county court on two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B Felony.

On October 4, 2023, a grand jury handed up an eight-count indictment charging Prater with narcotics-related offenses. He had nine prior misdemeanor convictions at the time the indictment was filed.

The arrest and conviction stemmed from an investigation led by the Village of Liberty Police Department with the assistance of the Sullivan County District Attorney’s Office. A search warrant executed at Prater’s residence at the Liberty Motel on March 18, 2023, yielded approximately 54 grams of the deadly narcotic fentanyl, Conaty said.

Prater was released as the Liberty police and DA continued to investigate. A second search warrant at Prater’s new residence, the Knights Inn in Liberty, yielded approximately 22.8 grams of crack-cocaine.

Prater admitted that on March 18, 2023, he possessed fentanyl at the Liberty Motel with the intent to sell it, Conaty said. He admitted that on April 23, 2023, he possessed cocaine at the Knights Inn with the intent to sell it.

Sentenced under plea deal

Under a plea deal, Prater was sentenced to nine and one-half years in state prison followed by two years of post-release supervision. He is due to be sentenced on May 2 before county court Judge Jim Farrell.

“Prater’s persistent desire to place a mere profit over the safety and well-being of the citizens of Sullivan County perpetuated the already disproportionate impact the opioid epidemic has plagued on this county,” Conaty said. “By engaging in this behavior at a location known for the tragic loss of a life owing to narcotics, Prater demonstrated his blatant disregard for the consequences of his actions.

He thanked the Liberty police for “the long, grueling hours worked to bring him to justice.”

Liberty police chief Steven D’Agata said, “This investigation, arrest, and prosecution should send a message loud and clear to all individuals intent on putting dangerous drugs onto our streets, we will not tolerate it.”