Heroin, Cocaine, Weapons Seized During Traffic Stop, 3 Suffolk Men Arrested: Police

BY PAIGE MCATEE

Three Suffolk County face several drug and weapons charges after authorities conducted a traffic stop Sunday night in Farmingdale and discovered cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, a semi-automatic handgun and other items in the car, police say.

According to Nassau Police, officers pulled over a black-colored 2015 Mazda CX5 after they saw the vehicle failing to signal a lane change while traveling eastbound on Hempstead Turnpike at 10:35 p.m.

Officers approached the car and saw a two clear plastic bags, one containing cocaine and the other containing crack cocaine, on the center console and a loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun wedged between the carpet and center console on the passenger side of the car, police say.

Police arrested the three occupants of the vehicle without further incident. Police say a subsequent investigation revealed there were additional drugs and weapons inside the vehicle, including a white plastic jar containing a substance believed to be cocaine, two Suboxone film strips, numerous pieces of drug paraphernalia and two .40 caliber rounds.

The driver of the vehicle, Kevin S. Cassidy, 27, of Islip, was charged with three counts of first, third and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a firearm and a vehicle traffic law violation.

The front seat passenger, Michael A. Tufariello, 26, of Bay Shore, and the back seat passenger, Curtis D. Duncan, 35, of West Babylon, were both charged with two counts of first and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

All three men were scheduled to be arraigned Monday at First District Court in Hempstead.

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