Christopher Scaniffe Sentenced on Drug Charges

Concord, NH - Attorney General John M. Formella announces that on July 28, 2026, Christopher Scaniffe, age 40, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced by the Hillsborough County Superior Court - Northern District on drug charges.

The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Sell a Controlled Drug, Subsequent Offense, and one count of Sale of a Controlled Drug, Subsequent Offense. The court sentenced the defendant to serve 7.5 to 15 years in state prison on the conspiracy charge. On the sale charge, the court sentenced the defendant to an additional 7.5 to 15 years in prison, suspended for 10 years from the date of the defendant's release on the conspiracy sentence.

The defendant's co-conspirator, Shea Schlander, previously pleaded guilty to related charges. On March 4, 2026, the court sentenced Schlander to serve 6 to 12 years in prison on a charge of Conspiracy to Sell a Controlled Drug, Subsequent Offense. On several related charges of Sale of a Controlled Drug, Subsequent Offense and Possession of a Controlled Drug with Intent to Sell, Subsequent Offense, the court sentenced Schlander to 7.5 to 15 years in state prison, suspended for 10 years from the date of release on the conspiracy sentence.

The evidence in this case established that between January and July of 2024, the defendant and Schlander engaged in a conspiracy to sell substantial quantities of fentanyl in the city of Manchester. During the investigation of this case, assisted by Schlander, the defendant engaged in a series of sales of fentanyl to multiple confidential informants, and to an undercover officer. These sales were for as much as 100 grams of fentanyl at a time. Additionally, as part of the conspiracy, Schlander was found to possess approximately 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl with the intent to sell in Manchester in March of 2024.

The investigation and resolution of these cases were the result of collaborative efforts of the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office's Drug Prosecution Unit, the New Hampshire State Police's Narcotics and Investigations Unit, and the Manchester Police Department.