Crime & Safety

DA: Dealers Sold 'Hollywood Heroin' in Shopping Center, Gas Station Parking Lots

Dealers target Suffolk County due to affluent communities, the district attorney says.

Six local drug dealers, including five called the "Riverhead crew," targeted the monied East End to sell their high-priced "Hollywood" heroin, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota.

Spota held a press conference on Wednesday after the indictment of nine men, five from Riverhead, who were busted after an intensive investigation by the East End Drug Task Force.

The investigation revealed that the six men would travel to East Harlem to purchase the heroin, which they sold in Riverhead, primarily in parking lots of businesses along Route 58, including Walmart, Tanger Outlet, Home Depot, gas stations, and the Department of Motor Vehicles. The heroin was also sold in the parking lot of McDonald's on Route 24, Spota said.

The heroin, sold in quantities of .03 of a gram in clear plastic packages, was stamped "Hollywood" heroin due to its potency and purity and the longer high users claimed it gave them; the heroin sold for 50 percent higher than usual, at $15 to $20 a bag, rather than the usual $9 to $10 a bag.

According to Spota, dealer would buy the sleeves of the premium heroin that each contained 100 individual packages for immediate sale; 2,000 bags were seized during the bust, as well as a rifle and cash.

"This is a very dangerous, dangerous business," Spota said.

The East End Drug Task Force undercover detectives used wiretaps and informants over an investigation that lasted more than a year, Spota said.

The escalating heroin crisis on Long Island has led some to call the Long Island Expressway the "heroin highway," with drug traffic from New York to the East End leading to addiction, shattered lives, and death.

The heroin crisis that is "crippling" Suffolk County has led to a surge in burglaries, robberies, and other crimes as desperate addicts seek funds to feed their habits, Spota said.

"No community is immune to the devastating consequences of heroin," Spota said.

Addicts, Spota said, would travel to Riverhead from Southampton, Southampton Village, Quogue, Sag Harbor, Westhampton, Greenport, Southold, Miller Place, Rocky Point and Ronkonkoma to buy the heroin.

The drug first detected on the North and South Forks in 2011, when overdoses first occurred; while none were fatal, one young woman, Spota said, admitted to overdosing twice because she was unaware of the deadly purity of the drug.

All of those arrested have long histories of dealing with drugs and "know no other life," Spota said; they spend time in jail and, once out on the street, begin dealing immediately.

Due to the lucrative nature of the business, Spota said it is likely new "crews" will begin dealing to fill the need — but he warned that they will not elude authorities.

"There is no Hollywood ending for this case. There is prison, or drug rehab. There is no glitz. No glamour."

Arrested were Jose Calvente, 64, of Harlem; he was charged with one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the second, a felony, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, six counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, five counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, and one count of conspiracy in the second degree, a felony.

Jose Morales, 76, of Harlem, was charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the second degree, a felony, one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, intent to sell, a felony, two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, and one count of conspiracy in the second degree, a felony.

Carlos Ramos, 52, of Harlem, was charged with one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the second degree, a felony, one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, and one count of conspiracy in the second degree, a felony.

Of the Riverhead "crew," Leroy Langhorne, 41, was charged with three counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, five counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, intent to sell, felony, one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree,  one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, a felony, one count of conspiracy in the fourth degree, a felony, and one count of criminal possession of marijuana in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor.

Leon Langhorne, 38, of Riverhead, faces charges including one count e of conspiracy in the fourth degree, a felony, one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, intent to sell, a felony.

Jerome Trent, 58, of Riverhead, was charged with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh, criminal used of drug paraphernalia in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, and conspiracy in the second degree, a felony.

Farrow Sims, 42, of Calverton, faces charges including one count of conspiracy in the fourth degree, a felony, two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a felony, and one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor.

Robert Baker 46, of Riverhead, as charged with two counts of conspiracy in the second degree, a felony, three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, intent to sell, a felony, and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, a felony.

Joseph Thomas, 41, of Mastic, has been charged with conspiracy in the second degree, a felony, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, intent to sell, a felony, and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, a felony.



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