{"id":6125,"date":"2026-04-11T15:05:53","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T15:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/11\/fmr-nypd-officer-sentenced-to-3-9-years-following-fatal-cooler-throwing-incident-one-america-news-network\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T15:05:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T15:05:53","slug":"fmr-nypd-officer-sentenced-to-3-9-years-following-fatal-cooler-throwing-incident-one-america-news-network","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/conservative-politics.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/11\/fmr-nypd-officer-sentenced-to-3-9-years-following-fatal-cooler-throwing-incident-one-america-news-network\/","title":{"rendered":"Fmr NYPD officer sentenced to 3\u20139 years following fatal \u2018cooler-throwing\u2019 incident \u2013 One America News Network"},"content":{"rendered":"
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(Background) NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran appears in court during his arraignment at the Bronx Hall of Justice.\u00a0(Luiz C. Ribeiro\/New York Daily News via Getty Images.) \/ (R) Photo screenshot capture of Duran throwing cooler at fleeing suspect.: via X account @bluelivesmtr<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

OAN Staff\u00a0Lillian Mann<\/a>
6:10 PM \u2013 Friday, April 10, 2026<\/p>\n

A former New York City police sergeant was sentenced to three to nine years in prison on Thursday for a 2023 incident that left a fleeing suspect dead.<\/p>\n

Erik Duran, 38, was convicted of manslaughter in the death of 30-year-old Eric Duprey. During an undercover operation, Duran reportedly threw a picnic cooler loaded with drinks at Duprey as he attempted to escape on a motor scooter. However, the impact caused Duprey to crash, resulting in fatal injuries.<\/p>\n

While Duran maintained that he threw the cooler to protect fellow officers from the oncoming scooter, the judge ultimately held him criminally responsible. His sentencing marks the first time in at least two decades that a former NYPD officer has been sent to prison for a death occurring while on duty. \u00a0<\/p>\n

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BREAKING\ud83d\udea8: Former NYPD Sgt. Erik Duran has been sentenced to 3\u20139 years in prison for throwing a cooler at a fleeing drug suspect.<\/p>\n

In 2023, during a Bronx drug sting, Duran spotted the suspect speeding away on a motorized scooter straight toward two officers making another\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/Yc7Pr7Numd<\/a><\/p>\n


\n\u00a0\u2014 Officer Lew (@officer_Lew) April 10, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

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\u201cI took this job to save lives. I felt terrible once I saw Eric Duprey crash,\u201d Duran told the Bronx judge, saying he \u201cdid everything he could\u201d to attend to Duprey\u2019s injuries. \u201cI never wanted this to happen,\u201d he added, apologizing to Duprey\u2019s family in Spanish \u2014 which the court interpreter translated. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Duprey\u2019s mother, Gretchen Soto, responded by saying: \u201cThere are no words to express what I feel.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Judge Guy Mitchell expressed skepticism regarding the former sergeant\u2019s motives, stating he did not believe the actions were justified. The judge asserted that Duran threw the cooler simply because he \u201cwas upset that Mr. Duprey was getting away,\u201d adding that had Duran not intervened, Duprey likely \u201cwould have driven by\u201d and could have been apprehended at a later date.<\/p>\n

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While Duran was taken into custody immediately following the sentencing, his attorney, Arthur Aidala, announced plans to request that a court release him on bail pending an appeal.<\/p>\n

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A surveillance video<\/a> shows Duprey driving the scooter on the sidewalk toward a group of people when the then-sergeant picked up a bystander\u2019s cooler \u2014 hurling it at 30-year-old Duprey.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

After the cooler \u2014 heavy with ice and drinks \u2014 struck Duprey, he lost control of his scooter and slammed into a tree, hitting his head on the pavement. Since Duprey was not wearing a helmet at the time, he suffered catastrophic head injuries and died almost instantly, according to prosecutors.<\/p>\n

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At his trial, Duran testified that the act was an impulsive decision made solely to ensure the safety of his fellow officers<\/p>\n

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\u201cHe was gonna crash into us,\u201d Duran responded, adding \u201call I had time for was to try again to stop or to try to get him to change directions.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Prosecutors, however, argued that Duran had enough time to yell for others to move out of the way, though he instead threw the cooler due to \u201canger.\u201d \u201cHe did that while on duty,\u201d then attempted to cover up his actions, prosecutor Joseph Bianco declared at court.<\/p>\n

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\u201cToday will forever be the darkest day of our profession,\u201d union president Vincent Vallelong said, adding that Duran\u2019s sentence \u201cputs in the back of a police officer\u2019s mind that they can lose their freedom\u201d for making a split-second decision.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The courthouse was a scene of stark contrast, filled with NYPD officers showing support for Duran while protesters outside called for justice for Duprey. Duran\u2019s union, the Sergeants Benevolent Association, noted that thousands of officers had signed an online petition urging the court to spare him from prison.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, Bianco argued further that the former officer\u2019s \u201creckless\u201d behavior caused Duprey\u2019s death, highlighting his alleged \u201cattempts to cover up\u201d his actions. Conversely, defense attorney Andre Quinn pushed for no prison time, characterizing the death as the \u201cunintended and tragic consequence\u201d of a \u201creckless decision\u201d made in a matter of seconds.<\/p>\n

Quinn then portrayed Duran \u2014 a married father of three who grew up in the Bronx \u2014 as having led an \u201cexemplary life\u201d prior to the incident. He stated that Duran joined the NYPD with the goal of making the borough \u201ccleaner and safer for the kids who came after him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following 13 years of service with the NYPD, Duran was fired immediately after his conviction in February. He had opted for a bench trial, leaving the final verdict in the hands of Judge Mitchell rather than a jury.<\/p>\n

The victim, Eric Duprey, was a delivery driver. His mother, Gretchen Soto, reported that she was on a phone call with him just moments before the encounter. She has since disputed police allegations that he was involved in a drug sale or fleeing from officers at the time of the incident.<\/p>\n

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