Suffolk County, NY - July 27, 2016 - Nearly four kilograms of heroin and fentanyl have been seized and 24 people arrested on drug possession and conspiracy charges as a result of an investigation into ten fatal overdoses in Suffolk and Nassau Counties and nine drug overdoses in which individuals were revived with Narcan, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota announced today.
DA Spota, joined by Kevin Larkin, Assistant Special Agent in Charge - Long Island Office of the DEA, Suffolk County Police Chief of Detectives, Gerard Gigante, SCPD Inspector Armando Valencia, Detective Lieutenant Timothy Dillon, the Commanding Officer of the Suffolk County Police Narcotics Section, and Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Kate Wagner of the SCDA Narcotics Bureau, estimated the heroin/fentanyl distribution network brought more than 3,000 bags of heroin-fentanyl and pure fentanyl into Long Island communities from New York City drug mills every week.
“They cut the heroin with fentanyl more than most drug dealers; sometimes up to 50 %, but they also sold pure fentanyl in individual glassine bags to drug users for whom heroin no longer provided the euphoric high they were looking for,” District Attorney Spota said, adding that law enforcement believes the fentanyl sold by members of the network is manufactured in illicit labs in Mexico and China.
“Because of the potency of the 50-50 heroin-fentanyl mixture, and the pure fentanyl doses, the distribution ring has been tied to 10 fatal overdoses - eight in Suffolk County and two in Nassau County. There have been nine non-fatal overdoses; seven in Suffolk and two in Nassau in which the drug users were revived with NARCAN. The overdoses occurred between September of 2015 to May of this year.
The District Attorney said that first responders cognizant of the increased presence of fentanyl at overdose scenes are now wearing masks and gloves to protect themselves from its effects and police officers executing search warrants related to heroin sales carry NARCAN in case of exposure to fentanyl.
Among those arrested is a 29 year old Mastic Beach man, Roxy A. Headley Jr., alleged to be to one of the major suppliers of fentanyl and heroin in the metropolitan area. Headley is charged with operating as a major trafficker, conspiracy in the second degree, and weapons charges. Headley is a prior felony offender and believed to be an active member of the Bloods street gang.
During the course of the investigation law enforcement learned Headley’s primary source of supply for heroin and fentanyl was Carlos Torres, 34, of Wyandanch. Torres, arrested July 18, is incarcerated in the county jail and charged with operating as a major trafficker and conspiracy in the second degree. A total of six defendants are charged with the A-1 felony operating as a major trafficker charge. The maximum sentence for operating as a major trafficker is 25 years to life. (Names of the defendants and their criminal charges below).
DEA Special Agent in Charge James Hunt stated, "One overdose is one too many; and every day, more than 120 people die from an opiate related overdose in the U.S. The heroin trafficking organizations, like the Headley drug crew, are reaping blood money off the sale of heroin and fentanyl. DEA, along with our state and local law enforcement counterparts, are committed to working together to disrupt and dismantle heroin trafficking organizations in every community."
The Commissioner of the Nassau Police Department, Thomas Krumpter, said “This recent arrest for heroin, fentanyl and illegal firearms possession is another example of how the Nassau/Suffolk Heroin Task Force has been working in conjunction with federal and local law enforcement agencies to ensure that we are doing our very best to put a stop to this epidemic. These arrests should also serve as a reminder and send a strong message to these drug dealers that this criminal behavior will not be tolerated.”
Chief of Detectives Gerard Gigante of the Suffolk County Police Department said the Suffolk-Nassau Heroin Task Force is focusing on overdose incidents and targeting the dealers who cause them. Chief Gigante said that to date, counting one fatal heroin overdose last night, there have been 188 fatal overdoses in Suffolk County this year, “about one every 30 hours”.
“Our message is consistent and clear: if you peddle this poison in our communities, the Suffolk County Police Department is coming after you,” Chief Gigante said.
Fentanyl/Heroin Investigation 7-27-2016 - Defendant List
Roxy Headley Jr.
Mastic Beach, NY
Operating as a Major Trafficker
Conspiracy 2nd
Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd
Criminal Possession of a Weapon 3rd
Arrest Date: 7/19/16
Defense Attorney: Harry Tilis
Guillermo Torres
Massapequa, NY
Operating as a Major Trafficker
Conspiracy 2nd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 1st
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/18/16
Defense Attorney: Christopher Gioe
Edward Gonzalez
Bronx, NY
Operating as a Major Trafficker
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/19/16
Defense Attorney: David Levine
Melquisedec Puello
Middle Village, NY
Operating as a Major Trafficker
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/18/16
Defense Attorney: John Scarpa
Keidy Rodriguez Nunez aka Anthony Nunez
Ozone Park, NY
Operating as a Major Trafficker
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/19/16
Defense Attorney: Telesforo Del Valle Jr.
Carlos Torres
Wyandanch, NY
Operating as a Major Trafficker
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/18/16
Defense Attorney: Christopher Cassar
Paul Colletti
Deer Park, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Weapon 3rd
Arrest Date: 7/19/16
Defense Attorney: George Harmel
Wayne Dunkley
Brentwood, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/19/16
Defense Attorney: Chauncey Henry
Berline Francois
Wyandanch, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/18/16
Defense Attorney: Christopher Cassar
Bonita Genao
Middle Village, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/18/16
Defense Attorney: Warren Silverman
Roxy Headley Sr.
Mastic, NY
Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 4th
Arrest Date: 7/16/16
Defense Attorney: Mary Beth Abbate
Ryan Jones
Deer Park, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/16/16
Defense Attorney: Paul Barahal
Thomas Leahey
Ronkonkoma, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/19/16
Defense Attorney: Eric Besso
Monte McCall
Deer Park, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/16/16
Defense Attorney: Channing Kury
Jacqueline Pabon
Brentwood, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/21/16
Defense Attorney: Robert Flink
Vincent Puleo
Deer Park, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/19/16
Defense Attorney: Legal Aid Society
Elizabeth Rasmussen
Massapequa, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 1st
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd
Arrest Date: 7/18/16
Defense Attorney: Steve Fondulis
Emmitt Smith
West Babylon, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd
Arrest Date: 7/16/16
Defense Attorney: Michael Jin
Jose Torres
Undomiciled
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/20/16
Defense Attorney: William Sammis
Tramont Ware
Wyandanch, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/21/16
Defense Attorney: Robert Macedonio
Yusuf Williams
Deer Park, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Arrest Date: 7/21/16
Defense Attorney: Robert Curran
Justin Zmitrovis
Deer Park, NY
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd
Arrest Date: 7/18/16
Defense Attorney: Harry Tilis
Mark Zmitrovis
Deer Park, NY
Conspiracy 2nd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 2nd
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 3rd
Arrest Date: 7/19/16
Defense Attorney: Ian Fitzgerald
Each defendant has entered a plea of not guilty.