Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced three indictments charging 29 defendants on a total of 329 counts following three separate long-term joint investigations into narcotics trafficking that spanned from Brooklyn into Suffolk County.
The investigations were conducted jointly by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office’s East End Drug Task Force (EEDTF), the Suffolk County Police Department, the New York State Police, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Department of Homeland Security (HSI), and the Office of Special Narcotics Prosecutor for
the City of New York.
In the months that led up to the indictments, law enforcement executed search warrants of cellular telephones, residences, vehicles, and other digital sources of data.
These warrants, coupled with thousands of hours of electronic and video surveillance, resulted in the identification and subsequent investigation of multiple alleged drug dealing operations centered around the distribution of cocaine, fentanyl, xylazine, methamphetamines and heroin.
These alleged drug dealing operations spanned from Brooklyn to Montauk, with significant activity in Riverhead, Patchogue, Mastic, Shirley, Ronkonkoma, Bohemia, Sound Beach, Holbrook, Brentwood, and East Islip.
The long-term investigations culminated in three indictments containing 329 total counts, which include conspiracy to distribute narcotics, operating as a major trafficker, the sale and possession of narcotics, the possession of multiple illegal firearms, attempted murder of two police officers and an assault upon another police officer.
The drug bust breakdown:
* More than Five Kilograms of Cocaine
* 759 Grams of Xylazine,
* 809 Grams of Fentanyl and Fentanyl-Xylazine Mix
* 301 Grams of Heroin-Xylazine Mix,
* 2,313 Fentanyl Tablets, 280 Grams of MDMA
* Over Three Kilos of Crystal Meth Recovered During the Investigations
Additional Seizures:
* Seven Firearms
* 16 Vehicles
* Over $170K in Cash
* 39 Gold Coins Valued at Approximately $100K
* $287,000 in Now Frozen Bank Accounts
"The scale of this operation cannot be overstated. These three indictments alleging over 300 total counts attributed to 29 defendants, represent more than just numbers – they represent a substantial blow to the illicit drug trade in our county and a significant step towards safer, healthier communities for all our residents," said District Attorney Tierney. "Our dedicated teams have worked tirelessly to bring down several alleged interconnected drug trafficking networks that have plagued our streets for far too long. This large-scale takedown required tremendous cooperation and coordinated efforts. In addition to the great work of the East End Drug Task Force, I want to thank our law enforcement partners at the Suffolk County Police Department, the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, the DEA, the Department of Homeland Security, the New York State Police, the Nassau County Police Department, the Riverhead Town Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the Office of Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York."
“These results-driven investigations stem from a common goal of combating narcotics trafficking in an attempt to save lives and keep our communities safe,” said Suffolk County Police Acting Commissioner Robert Waring. “It is imperative we continue to combine resources to stop individuals pumping poison into our neighborhoods because as we saw in the case of Brandon Scanlon, his threat extended to our officers and the public.”
“(The) indictments are a testament to the unwavering dedication and collaboration of Suffolk’s law enforcement partners. We are grateful to the officers involved in this effort which put these narcotics traffickers out of business,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. “Together, we are continuing to take deadly drugs off our streets and making Suffolk County a safer place.”
“I commend District Attorney Raymond Tierney, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s East End Drug Task Force and all of the partners involved in these long-term investigations,” said Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan. “The arrests and seizures of firearms, half a million dollars in assets, and significant amounts of narcotics from major local drug organizations will contribute to greater safety and security in communities across Suffolk County.”
The investigations were conducted by Detectives from the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office’s EEDTF and Detectives from the Suffolk County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad, Narcotics Section, and TRACE Unit.
The EEDTF is comprised of District Attorney Investigators, and members of the East Hampton Town Police Department, the New York State Police, the Riverhead Police Department, the Southold Police Department, the Southampton Town Police Department, the New York State Police’s Narcotics Section, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Department of Homeland Security, and the Office of Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Jake Kubetz, Alyssa Costantino, Gabriella DeRosa, William Nash, and Robert Archer of the Narcotics Bureau. The civil asset forfeiture action is being litigated by the Asset Forfeiture and Intelligence Bureau.