KEY WEST, FL – In a recent case, Circuit Judge Mark Jones sentenced William Edward Madalinski after he pleaded no contest and was adjudicated guilty in two separate drug cases involving the sale of heroin and the possession and trafficking of controlled substances. Madalinski was adjudicated guilty of trafficking in cocaine, possession of fentanyl, possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia and, in the second case, sale of heroin.
Madalinski was sentenced to 36 months in Florida State Prison in each case, with the two three-year prison sentences to run concurrently, followed by probation. In the trafficking case, he received 36 months of probation on the trafficking charge and 24 months on the fentanyl and heroin possession charges. In the separate sale-of-heroin case, he received 36 months of probation. The probationary terms follow the prison sentences. He also received a one-year Monroe County Jail sentence on the paraphernalia charge. His driver’s license was revoked for six months.
Across the two cases, Madalinski was ordered to pay a total of $51,286 in fines, court costs and other required fees and costs. As conditions of his sentence, he must undergo a substance abuse evaluation and treatment if needed, submit to twice-weekly urinalysis, attend three NA/AA meetings each week, and refrain from alcohol, illegal drugs and drugs without a prescription. Following his release from prison, he has 20 days to leave Monroe County and must remain outside the county during his probationary term.
The two cases grew out of a Key West Police Department investigation that began after officers responded to multiple overdose incidents within a 24-hour period in January 2025. Each overdose victim required Narcan. Recognizing a troubling pattern, officers and detectives did not simply treat the overdoses as isolated incidents. They followed up, interviewed those involved and worked to identify the source of the drugs, ultimately identifying Madalinski as a suspected supplier.
As the investigation continued, Key West Police detectives conducted surveillance and obtained a search warrant for Madalinski’s Key West residence. When the warrant was executed, Madalinski was found with three bags containing a substance that field-tested positive for cocaine. During the subsequent search, detectives located additional substances that field-tested positive for cocaine, fentanyl, ecstasy and MDMA, as well as digital scales, packaging materials and $1,400 in cash.
According to the investigation, the cocaine seized totaled approximately 76.6 grams and the fentanyl approximately 40.4 grams. Madalinski also told investigators that he sold drugs to make money and that the scales and packaging materials found in his residence were used to package drugs for sale.
Chief Assistant State Attorney Joseph Mansfield praised the Key West Police Department for recognizing the connection between the overdose incidents and pursuing the investigation beyond the initial emergency calls.
“This is exactly the kind of follow-up we want to see when officers encounter multiple overdoses in our community. Key West Police recognized there could be a common source and kept working backward from the overdoses to determine where the drugs were coming from. That kind of police work can prevent another overdose and potentially save a life. The prison sentences provide immediate accountability, and the probation that follows provides continued accountability. Even though these sentences run concurrently, a serious violation of probation can bring the defendant back before the court and potentially result in significant additional prison time.”
Both cases were prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Michael Tetelman.
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