Massive Heroin Ring Dismantled; 14 People Indicted: DA

Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced the indictment of 14 people — including a former NYPD narcotics detective — Friday for their alleged roles in a massive heroin ring that sold thousands of dollars worth of drugs every day to people in Nassau, Queens and the Bronx. The takedown, called Operation Tri-County Traffick, comes a month after law enforcement officials arrested 40 people who were trafficking drugs on Route 110.

According to Singas, the ring was allegedly selling more than 23,000 doses of heroin a week — which allegedly earned them about $170,000 each week. The ring allegedly pumped out about a million doses of heroin a year.

Of the 14 who were indicted, one is in custody waiting arraignment and one has yet to be arrested. Also, 12 other people were arrested as part of the operation, bringing the total to 26 arrests.

"This operation followed an alleged street-level dealer back to a major narcotics trafficking network that was dealing more than 20,000 doses of heroin each week in our neighborhoods," said Singas. "Our collaborative, multi-front assault on heroin dealers has led to more than 50 arrests in the past month alone and we will not rest until this epidemic is over."

According to Singas, the 15-month-long investigation started with alleged Hempstead-based heroin dealer Hamilton Croft, who was arrested earlier this year in the shooting death of Daniel Flowers. Authorities say that Flowers and another man, Roger Liburd, of Elmont, were purchasing heroin from Bronx-based dealer Leigh Jackson and then reselling it in Nassau County, primarily in Hicksville, Levittown and Long Beach.

Singas said that Jackson was the leader of the drug ring and would package and sell heroin to other dealers, who would then sell it in Nassau, Queens and Brooklyn. One of the types of heroin that Jackson allegedly sold, which was stamped "Taster's Choice," was linked to several overdoses, including a 23-year-old woman from Garden City Park.

Authorities say that Jackson had help from his longtime girlfriend Karan Young, a retired NYPD narcotics detective. They said she was not directly involved in the drug businesses but would allegedly help pick up money. At the time of his arrest, Jackson had a badge in his wallet that described him as a "Detective's Husband." Authorities said he tried to use that to dissuade officers, who had pulled him over in his car.

"Everyone arrested and charged in this case had an alleged role in selling a dangerous mixture of drugs that is killing people," said William F. Sweeney, assistant director in charge of the FBI New York Field Office. "Our goal is to go after the suppliers and the head of these organizations. However, we won’t be able to completely eradicate criminals who want to make money selling illegal drugs if they continue to have a customer base that keeps returning for more."

All of the law enforcement officials assembled to announce the arrests praised the almost unprecedented cooperation between agencies that led to the takedown. Nassau and Suffolk county police worked with police departments in Hempstead and Rockville Centre, as well as state police and the FBI.

Authorities said that the heroin that was being sold was of a high quality and was sought after by addicts. They estimated the ring had hundreds of customers a week.

Four people from Long Island were among those indicted:

• Roger Liburd, of Elmont
• Kevin Ramsey, of Westbury
• Hamilton Croft, of Hewlett
• Steve McGowan, of Hempstead

"The message to dealers should be very clear: if you're selling heroin, we will find you," Singas said. "We will follow you. We will talk to the people you're dealing with. We will talk to your suppliers. We will talk to the people that you're selling your heroin to. We will trace overdoses back to you. We will infiltrate your networks. We will arrest you, prosecute you and send you to prison. This is a nationwide epidemic, and we will work together to end it."

Photos: Alex Costello/Patch