Two Brookhaven Town Residents Among 24 Arrested After Investigation Into Ten Fatal Drug Overdoses

Hauppauge – 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.

Among those arrested were Roxy Headly, Sr., 56 of Mastic, and Roxy Headley, Jr., 29, of Mastic Beach.

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.

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.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

 

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