11 Charged In Largest Fentanyl Bust In Nassau History: DA

Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas, the FBI Long Island Gang Task Force and the ATF Long Island Firearms Taskforce announced today that 11 people have been indicted by a grand jury for their alleged roles in violent drug and gun rings operating in Hempstead.

Beginning in April, the Nassau DA, the FBI and the ATF began investigations into drug and gun rings in Hempstead in order to curb the violence in the area. Investigators were looking at separate drug and gun rings that they say operated around the apartment building at 100 Terrace Ave.

Officials say they seized 400 grams fentanyl (valued at more than $130,000), 500 grams of cocaine (valued at $50,000) and eight guns during their investigation. The fentanyl was enough to make 150,000 potentially fatal doses, and was the largest fentanyl seizure in Nassau County history. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, two milligrams of fentanyl is fatal for most adults.

“The massive quantity of nearly-pure fentanyl seized in this investigation is enough to cause a staggering 150,000 lethal overdoses,” said Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas. “I am grateful to our partners for their outstanding collaboration protect the Hempstead community from these dangerous drugs and illegal guns.”

According to Singas, on Sept. 15, Ricky Jackson, an inmate in a federal prison in Massachusetts and the alleged leader of the eight-person drug ring, told his partner, Darren Devane, and his girlfriend, Angelique White, to get 100 grams of what was believed to be heroin that were stored at his apartment.

DA investigators and members of the FBI Long Island Gang Taskforce seized the 100 grams from white and searched her apartment, finding an additional 300 grams of a white, powdery substance, Singas said. Testing revealed that the heroin was actually fentanyl.

According to Singas, Devane was supplied drugs by Jackson and Jamel Lewis. Singas said that Lewis used several people, including Trevor Ford, to assist with distributing drugs around Hempstead.

Devane allegedly hid drugs in the Terrace Avenue apartment of Michael Drew's mother, Singas said. A search on July 19 recovered 38 grams of crack cocaine inside the home, according to Singas.

Singas also said that Devane told his girlfriend, Shariah Usher, who was seven months pregnant at the time, to sell 100 grams of cocaine for him.

The drug ring sold about $10,000 worth of cocaine a week, Singas said, adding that Devane, Ford, Jackson and Drew are all believed to be Blood gang members.

While the drug ring was being investigated, an investigation was being done simultaneously on a Brooklyn-based gun ring that led to three arrests for trafficking and selling guns in Hempstead.

Singas said that Joseph Robertson, Victor Cain and an un-arraigned third man hid guns in shopping bags and clothes and transported them to Nassau County.

On April 10 and June 25, Robertson went from Brooklyn to East Fulton Street in Hempstead to sell a 40 caliber pistol, one on each date, Singas said. On May 8, Singas said that Cain took an Uber from Brooklyn to Greenwich Street in Hempstead to sell a loaded 38 caliber revolver.

In total, eight firearms were seized, including three .40 pistols, two .38 revolvers and one 30 round extended magazine, Singas said.

“People are dying every day because of the types of drugs these men are accused of selling in Nassau County," said FBI New York Assistant Director-in-Charge William Sweeney, Jr. "We are facing a national crisis in part because dealers and pushers like those indicted in this investigation are all out to make a quick buck. This investigation should serve as a significant warning to local leaders, educators, and the community-at-large that continued distribution of these drugs will be devastating to our society.”

Darren Devane, aka Buck, 33, of Hempstead, was arraigned Oct. 25 and charged with first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, three counts of second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, nine counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy and three counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. If convicted of the top count, he faces up to 24 years in prison.

Michael Drew, 39, of Hempstead, was arraigned Oct. 31 and charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy and three counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. If convicted of the top charge, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Trevor Ford, 28, of Hempstead, was arraigned Oct. 28 and charged with second-degree conspiracy and three counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. If convicted of the top charge, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Ricky Jackson, 41, of Hempstead, was arraigned Nov. 4 and charged with operating as a major trafficker, first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy and two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. If convicted of the top count, he faces life in prison.

Jamel Lewis, 39, of Hempstead, was arraigned on Nov. 4 and charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy and three counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. If convicted of the top charge, he could face up to 24 years in prison. Additionally, He was arraigned on Oct. 29 on one count of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Shariah Usher, 28, of Hempstead, was arraigned on Oct. 25 and charged with first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy and two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. If convicted of the top charge, she faces up to 20 years in prison.

Angelique White, 40, of Hempstead, was arraigned on Oct. 30 and charged with first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy and two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. If convicted of the top charge, she faces up to 20 years in prison.

Joseph Robertson, 36, of Brooklyn, was arraigned on Nov. 1 and charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, four counts of criminal sale of a firearm and two counts of criminal possession of a firearm. If convicted of the top charge, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Victor Cain, 30, of Brooklyn, was arraigned Oct. 30 and charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of criminal sale of a firearm and criminal possession of a firearm. If convicted of the top charge, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

There are two people who have yet to be arraigned.

“The sheer quantity of deadly drugs seized by law enforcement amount to a weapon of mass destruction against our residents," said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. "Nassau County will continue cracking down on those dealing addiction and violence into our communities.”