NEW YORK – A former NYPD sergeant from Mahopac convicted of killing a man by throwing a cooler at his head during an attempted drug bust was sentenced to three to nine years in state prison Thursday.
Bronx State Supreme Court Justice Guy Mitchell judge convicted Erik Duran of manslaughter in February after the New York Attorney General’s Office argued at trial that he used excessive force during a botched drug bust, causing 30-year-old Eric Duprey’s death.
Attorneys for Duran contended the Putnam resident made a split-second decision to protect himself and others.
During sentencing before a packed courtroom, the judge said Duran should face accountability for his lack of judgment.
In August 2023, Duran and other Bronx narcotics detectives were conducting undercover drug busts at different locations and cops were attempting to arrest another man when Duprey started to flee on a motorized scooter.
Testimony revealed that Duran grabbed a heavy picnic cooler and heaved it at Duprey’s head, causing him to lose control of the scooter resulting in the suspect slamming into a tree before being ejected and cracking his head open.
Duran testified he was protecting other officers by his actions.
The NYPD dismissed Duran after his conviction, as is required under New York law.
When sentenced Duran, a 13-year veteran of the force, told the court that he “did everything he could” to assist the badly injured suspect adding, “I never wanted this to happen.”
Judge Mitchell charged that Duran was upset with Duprey since he was “getting away. He reacted by hurling the cooler.”
Vincent Vallelong, president of the NYPD Sergeants Benevolent Association, said the conviction and sentencing sent a “terrible message to hard working cops about the costs of defending themselves and fellow officers.”
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