A drug dealer responsible for a fatal overdose at Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun Casino has been sentenced to eight years in prison. Jerrard Santiago, 44, from New Haven, Conn., was convicted of distributing cocaine laced with fentanyl, which resulted in the death of 22-year-old Ethan Bherwani.
The tragedy occurred on May 18, 2021, when Bherwani purchased the lethal drugs from Santiago in a restroom at the casino. Shortly thereafter, Bherwani was discovered overdosed on the casino floor. Despite efforts to save him, he passed away 11 days later.
In the wake of the incident, authorities launched a comprehensive investigation into Santiago’s activities. On February 3, 2023, undercover agents successfully purchased fentanyl and heroin from Santiago, and later that month, they also acquired a mix of fentanyl and cocaine from him. Santiago was arrested in March, and by January 29, he had pleaded guilty to two counts each of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance.
Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer, presiding in New Haven federal court, rendered the eight-year prison sentence. Upon release, Santiago will undergo three years of supervised release. Judge Meyer concurred with prosecutors that Santiago knowingly distributed the drugs that led to Bherwani’s overdose and subsequent death, according to Connecticut U.S. Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery.
In a related controversy, the deceased’s father, Kamal Bherwani, a former New York City public official, criticized the casino’s response to his son’s overdose. The elder Bherwani claimed that the lack of immediate assistance from casino staff contributed to the fatality. According to reports, Ethan Bherwani was celebrating his college graduation and collapsed at a blackjack table. Despite lying immobile on the floor, casino employees allegedly took over four minutes to respond, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) arrived approximately 11 minutes after the initial collapse.
Attempted resuscitation efforts by the EMTs were unsuccessful, and Ethan Bherwani was transported to Hartford Hospital, where he was declared brain dead. He passed away nine days later. Autopsy results indicated he had ingested a combination of fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol prior to losing consciousness. Additional reports suggested that while kind-hearted patrons tried to assist Bherwani, casino employees directed them to step back.
Following these events, Kamal Bherwani initiated a lawsuit against Mohegan Sun, alleging negligence on the part of the casino. However, this suit was dismissed by a Connecticut tribal court, though the possibility of filing a new lawsuit remains.
