Posted on: September 14, 2023 06:54 AM

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Suffolk County district attorney Tierney announces indictment of 30 defendants following three long term narcotics trafficking and gang investigations

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced three indictments charging 30 defendants following long-term joint investigations into narcotics trafficking throughout Suffolk County. The investigations were conducted jointly by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s East End Drug Task Force, the Suffolk County Police Department’s Telephone Records and Surveillance Section and Gun Crime Reduction Unit, the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Southampton Town Police Department, the Southold Town Police Department and the Riverhead Town Police Department.

The investigations involved the execution of over 100 search warrants into cellular telephones, residences, vehicles, and other digital sources of data. The execution of these warrants, coupled with thousands of hours of electronic and video surveillance, uncovered three separate operations, two of which were led by alleged Blood gang members DUSHANE TELFER, a 30-year-old North Amityville man, and PARIS PARKS, a 31-year-old Greenport man, as well as a third operation led by 33-year-old GABRIEL FERNANDEZ, of West Babylon, who is an alleged member of the Trinitarios street gang.

The alleged drug dealing operations all centered around the distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine mixed with fentanyl, and spanned from the eastern Suffolk County towns of Southold, Riverhead and Southampton, throughout western Suffolk County all the way into New York City.   

“Along with our law enforcement partners, we undertook a comprehensive investigation into who was dealing deadly drugs in Suffolk County. We discovered three alleged drug distribution networks and set about to dismantle them. These indictments should send a message to those flooding the streets of Suffolk County with dangerous drugs that we will use every investigative tool in our toolbox to stop the flow of these drugs onto our streets” said District Attorney Tierney. “Overdoses in Suffolk County, just like the rest of the United States, are at crisis levels.  This is an emergency, and we are treating it as such. However, law enforcement can’t do this alone; we need our state lawmakers to help. Tragically, any help will come too late for Michelle Tomitz and her family.”

“Dangerous drugs are causing far too many deaths across our region. Saving lives is our primary goal. This long-term investigation was comprehensive, targeting significant narcotics activity. Collaborative work is critical to long term progress in reducing overdose deaths,” said Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan. “I am pleased that our Investigators Unit was able to assist Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney, the East End Drug Task Force, and local and federal law enforcement partners in identifying and dismantling organizations engaged in distributing lethal drugs.”

“The opioid crisis is an epidemic that destroys families while narcotics traffickers line their pockets,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison.  “Let these indictments send a message that we are watching. These investigations will impact the narcotics trade from the East End to New York City and is a testament of the successes our law enforcement partnerships have made. I commend all those involved, especially the department’s Gun Crime Reduction Unit, Telephone Records and Surveillance Section and members on the East End Drug Task Force.” 

“HSI New York and our partners work tirelessly to stop the flow of deadly drugs that is often synonymous with some of the country’s most violent gangs. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants in this case, members and associates of the notorious MS-13 street gang, operated an illicit narcotics distribution network that has been plaguing communities in Suffolk County,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J. Arvelo. “By working together, we can ensure that criminal organizations such as MS-13 can no longer terrorize our communities and profit from their illegal activities here on Long Island.”

“The DEA remains determined and hyper-focused on taking out the drug networks who are responsible for the countless lives lost to this crisis,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank Taratino. “These three investigations make it evidently clear that illegal drugs and guns are responsible for the violence and poisonings causing death and destruction in our communities. It will take all of us working together and combining our resources to make the difference that will ensure the health and safety of our neighborhoods.” 

“This arrest is the direct result of hard work and determination by Federal, State and Local law enforcement that came together to combat dangerous drugs and gang activity that negatively impact our community,” said State Police Major Stephen J. Udice, Troop Commander, Troop L. We pledge to continue to work tirelessly to make sure individuals who engage in this illegal activity are held accountable and will continue to prevent dangerous drugs from entering our neighborhoods across Long Island.”

“The indictment is the result of local, state and federal partners working together to identify, disrupt and dismantle the criminal enterprises destroying communities and lives with drugs and illegal guns,” said John DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of ATF NY. “We are thankful for the extensive and continuous collaboration amongst law enforcement to protect the public. The men and women of ATF NY Long Island Field Office, DEA NY and Suffolk County PD remain steadfast in our role. No one should be forced to live in a community with perpetual violence and criminal activity.”

 

The Indictments

The long-term investigations culminated in three indictments charging a total of 30 defendants with 132 charges including long-term conspiracies to distribute narcotics, the sale and possession of narcotics, money laundering, and the possession of multiple illegal firearms.

 

People v. Dushane Telfer et. al.

According to the investigation, from February 17, 2023 through June 11, 2023, TELFER, PERKINS, OMAR REYNOSO and co-defendants allegedly conducted a large-scale fentanyl and cocaine trafficking operation spanning from the east end of Suffolk County to Queens, New York.  Over the course of this investigation, over 763 grams of fentanyl and 585 grams of cocaine were allegedly recovered from the illicit sales and possession of fentanyl and cocaine by these defendants. This includes sales to individuals and agent buys, as well as narcotics allegedly recovered during search warrants executed at the residences of TELFER, PERKINS and REYNOSO.

Through the execution of the search warrants, members of law enforcement allegedly recovered A-1 felony weight fentanyl and cocaine from the North Amityville residence of TELFER, PERKINS and co-defendant DEVANTE PEARSON. In addition to the narcotics, four loaded illegal firearms, including an assault weapon and a large capacity feeding device, were allegedly recovered from that residence.

On February 17, 2023, TELFER and PERKINS allegedly sold a quantity of drugs to Michelle Tomitz which caused her death. Ms. Tomitz was discovered unresponsive the next morning after the alleged sale. The autopsy report revealed the presence of fentanyl, cocaine and xylazine in Ms. Tomitz’s system at the time of her death. Ms. Tomitz is survived by her parents and a six-year-old daughter.

Xylazine, also known as “Tranq” is a drug that is a powerful tranquilizer used by veterinarians to relax or sedate large animals.

Xylazine has recently been found in the Long Island and New York City drug supply, and is used together with fentanyl to prolong the effects of fentanyl. According to the DEA, xylazine and fentanyl drug mixtures place users at a higher risk of suffering a fatal drug poisoning. Xylazine is only approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a veterinary medicine to sedate and relieve pain in large animals such as horses. In humans, xylazine is known to depress breathing and heart rate, lower blood pressure, and cause unconsciousness, necrosis, and even death. Because xylazine is not an opioid, naloxone (Narcan) does not reverse its effects. Still, experts always recommend administering naloxone if someone might be suffering a drug overdose. People who inject drug mixtures containing xylazine also can develop severe wounds, including necrosis -- the rotting of human tissue -- that may lead to amputation. Seehttps://www.dea.gov/alert/dea-reports-widespread-threat-fentanyl-mixed-xylazine. 

Although a number of states have added xylazine to their lists of controlled substances, xylazine is not yet considered a controlled substance in New York State.

 

People v. Gabriel Fernandez et. al. 

The investigation also uncovered a large-scale cocaine trafficking operation allegedly conducted by FERNANDEZ, LUSBIN ANTONIO HERNANDEZ-GARCIA, a 34-year-old Riverhead resident, and other co-defendants from March 2022 through July 2023. The oper