3 Indicted In Suffolk Cocaine Trafficking Ring, 2 Face Life In Prison: DA

AMITYVILLE, NY — Three Suffolk County men have been indicted in connection with an alleged large-scale cocaine trafficking operation that ran out of an Amityville stash house, with two defendants facing up to 25 years to life in prison, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said Thursday.

The indictments followed an eight-month investigation involving 11 cocaine purchases by an undercover officer and searches of properties in Amityville and Lindenhurst, prosecutors said.

The defendants were identified as Gaspal German Santos, 40, of Lindenhurst; Isaul Soto Mejia, 37, of Lindenhurst; and Pawell Cassidy Guzman Jimenez, 37, of North Amityville.

According to prosecutors, German Santos operated the alleged distribution network, while Soto Mejia and Guzman Jimenez supplied him with cocaine.

The investigation began in March when members of the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office East End Drug Task Force began investigating German Santos, also known as "Mochilla," for suspected cocaine trafficking.

Between March and October, an undercover officer purchased cocaine from German Santos on 11 occasions, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said German Santos arranged to sell 200 grams of cocaine to the undercover officer on June 25. Investigators observed him meeting with Soto Mejia, also known as "El Chavo," who allegedly handed him a brown Target shopping bag containing the drugs, prosecutors said.

German Santos then delivered the bag to the undercover officer, according to prosecutors.

On Sept. 15, German Santos allegedly arranged another sale involving a kilogram of cocaine. Surveillance revealed that Guzman Jimenez, also known as "Pokeman," supplied the drugs used in that transaction, prosecutors said.

Investigators executed a search warrant on Oct. 2 at an alleged stash house on Park Place in Amityville, recovering multiple kilograms of cocaine, including 1,079 bags of suspected cocaine packaged for street sales, prosecutors said.

Authorities also seized approximately $5,538, scales, cutting agents and about 15,000 empty glassine bags used to package narcotics.

According to the district attorney's office, the operation involved breaking down kilograms of cocaine into thousands of individual one-third-gram bags, allowing the defendants to sell smaller quantities at a substantial markup.

Prosecutors said the packaging process effectively doubled the operation's profits.

Guzman Jimenez was arrested at the Amityville property.

Investigators searched German Santos' residence on North Alleghany Avenue in Lindenhurst on Oct. 8, recovering another 170 grams of cocaine, approximately $2,072, drug paraphernalia and a drug ledger, prosecutors said.

German Santos and Soto Mejia were arrested shortly afterward.

All three men were arraigned Thursday before Acting Supreme Court Justice Philip Goglas.

German Santos was indicted on eight counts of first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a class A-1 felony; second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class A-2 felony; second-degree conspiracy, a class B felony; three counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, class B felonies; 12 counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, class B felonies; and three counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, class A misdemeanors.

He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the top charge and is scheduled to return to court Dec. 9.

Soto Mejia was indicted on operating as a major trafficker, a class A felony; first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a class A-1 felony; second-degree conspiracy, a class B felony; first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class A felony; two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, class B felonies; and three counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, class A misdemeanors.

Guzman Jimenez was indicted on operating as a major trafficker, a class A felony; two counts of first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, class A-1 felonies; second-degree conspiracy, a class B felony; first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class A felony; three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, class B felonies; and three counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, class A misdemeanors.

Both face up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of their top charges.

Guzman Jimenez is scheduled to return to court Nov. 16, while Soto Mejia is due back Dec. 11.

Goglas ordered each held on $2 million cash bail, $10 million bond, or $20 million partially secured bond.

German Santos is represented by Raymond Baierlien, Soto Mejia by Larry Flowers, and Guzman Jimenez by Adreine Edwards. All three defense attorneys were not immediately available for comment.

"These alleged drug dealers were flooding our communities with cocaine, putting countless lives at risk for their own profit," Tierney said. "Eleven separate sales to an undercover are not isolated transactions. As alleged, this was a deliberate, sustained operation fueled by suppliers and a seller who kept coming back for more. Drug traffickers who put our community at risk by selling poison should know that we will investigate, we will prosecute and we will shut you down."