Major Heroin Ring Busted, 7 Arrested: DA

Seven people, including a Nassau woman, have been charged for their alleged involvement in a major heroin ring that stretched from Pittsburgh to Nassau, the Nassau County District Attorney's office announced Monday. 

Six of the people have been arraigned on multiple charges, and the last man was transported from Georgia this weekend and is expected to be arraigned on Monday, Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said. 

The ring, allegedly directed by 53-year-old Victor McKeever in Pittsburgh, used a stash house in Kew Gardens, Queens, and sold drugs in Freeport and other locations across Nassau County, the DA said.

McKeever was arraigned last Thursday and charged with operating as a major trafficker; first-, second- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; two counts of second-degree conspiracy; and fourth-degree conspiracy, according to the DA.

He pleaded not guilty, and bail was set at $1,000,000 bond or $500,000 cash. McKeever, who was arrested in December and extradited by the Nassau County Police last week, is due back in court on July 12. 

Four of those arrested were arraigned on the indictment charges in January. 

Donna Martin, 51, of Freeport, was charged with operating as a major trafficker, two counts of first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, five counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of-second degree conspiracy and fourth-degree conspiracy, according to the DA. Bail was at $250,000 bond or $125,000 cash.

Tariq Johnson, 39, of Englewood, N.J., was charged with operating as a major trafficker; first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance; two counts each of first-, second- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; two counts of second-degree conspiracy; third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance; fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; fourth-degree conspiracy; and two counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, the DA said. Bail was set at $250,000 bond or $150,000 cash. 

Mark Mahabirsingh, 34, of Queens, was charged with operating as a major trafficker, three counts of first degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, first- and second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of second-degree conspiracy, three counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, five counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and fourth-degree conspiracy, the DA said. Bail was set at $200,000 bond or $100,000 cash.

Shawn Patterson, 49, of North Charleston, S.C., was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts each of second- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second- degree conspiracy, two counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fourth-degree conspiracy and two counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, the DA said.  Bail was set at $250,000 bond or $150,000 cash.

Anthony Greer, 25, of Pittsburgh, was arraigned in April. He was charged with first-, second- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance; and second- and fourth-degree conspiracy, according to the DA.  Bail was set at $100,000 bond or cash.

The arrests are the result of a four-month joint investigation into heroin sales involving the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, the Nassau County Police Department Narcotics Vice Bureau and the Drug Enforcement Administration Long Island District Office Task Force.

McKeever allegedly directed the ring from his home in Pennsylvania, using Martin and Mahabirsingh as the local distributors, the DA said.

Investigators followed Martin and Mahabirsingh and observed meetings between them and other members of the alleged distribution network, including Tariq Johnson, Anthony Greer and an unnamed person, the DA said.

On Nov. 22, this surveillance led to the seizure of approximately two kilograms of heroin that was recovered from a Mega Bus depot in Manhattan, according to the DA.

Greer was found in possession of two kilograms of heroin after a police dog smelled the narcotics in a backpack that was destined for Pittsburgh, according to the DA. 

Johnson, Martin and Mahabirsingh were all allegedly involved in transporting the heroin. It is estimated that the seized drugs had a street value of at least $600,000, the DA said. 

As the investigation continued, the network’s “stash house” was identified as an apartment in Kew Gardens.

On Dec. 9, one kilogram of heroin, cutting agents, plastic wrapping and a kilogram press were recovered from the house. 

On the same day, Patterson was arrested in connection with this conspiracy, allegedly having 400 grams of heroin in his possession, the DA said.

It is estimated that approximately 3.4 kilograms of heroin, with a street value of $750,000 to $1 million, was prevented from reaching the streets as a result of the investigation, according to the DA.

“Heroin is devastating our families, communities and our country," Singas said. "With these arrests we stopped more than three kilograms of heroin from reaching our streets."

Pictured: Top from L to R - Johnson, Martin, and Mahabirsingh Bottom from L to R: Patterson, Greer, and McKeever