17 Arrested For Turning Long Island Into Drug Distribution Hub: DA

As part of a multi-agency operation, 17 people were arrested on Tuesday for trafficking drugs across state lines and turning Long Island into a hub for massive cocaine distribution.

Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced the arrests on Wednesday morning. While search warrants were executed yesterday, prosecutors seized one-and-a-half kilograms of cocaine, four ounces of heroin, two defaced guns, money counters, $115,000 and three luxury cars.

The 17 people — many of whom were family members — were charged with various crimes, including operation as a major trafficker, first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy and other charges. Upon conviction, the top charges carry a sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

"Fourteen law enforcement agencies collaborated with my office’s dedicated investigators on this massive takedown that has dismantled what we allege to be a multi-state, cross country drug trafficking enterprise that pumped huge quantities of cocaine and deadly heroin into our communities and throughout the northeast," Singas said. "Our partners at the federal, state and local level worked together seamlessly to uncover the novel smuggling methods used in this 'family business' and to shut it down before more lives were ruined by the poison these defendants supplied."

Arrested and charged were:

• Lyonel Beaubrun, 41, of Rosedale
• Kervin Etienne, 36, of West Hempstead
• Jean-Luc Theodore, 35, of Valley Stream
• Jaksem Phileppe, 42, of Far Rockaway
• Musheer Reid, 34, of Brooklyn
• Emmanuel Lemite, 38, of Rosedale
• Ebony Johnson, 36, of Brooklyn
• John Beaubrun, 38, of West Hempstead
• Naeemah Smith, 37, of Rosedale
• Sandra Marseilles, 38, 0f Rosedale
• Sully Botello, 33, of Central Islip
• Ashley Cumbo, 27, of Bellerose

According to Singas, the drugs were smuggled into Phoenix from Mexico and then smuggled on commercial flights to JFK Airport in New York. From there, the drugs were distributed to Nassau, Suffolk and Queens, and large quantities were also sent south to Baltimore. Distribution extended to New York City, upstate New York, Chicago, Maine and Virginia, as well.

Singas said Kervin Etienne, 37, of West Hempstead, Lyonel Beaubren, 41, of Rosedale, and another relative founded a drug distribution operation that supplied large quantities of cocaine and heroin to 14 members of their crew. The DA's Special Operations and Narcotics Bureau began the investigation in March 2016 and discovered that the organization transported cocaine on commercial flights from Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix to JFK. The three defendants allegedly stored the narcotics at various trap houses located in Queens and Nassau counties.

Prosecutors say the group smuggled seven to eight kilograms of cocaine to Nassau County per month. Three would be sold here, and four were usually shipped to Baltimore. The ring allegedly made $50,000 to $75,000 a week.

Prior to the arrests on Tuesday, three car stops were executed that resulted in the seizure of about 2 kilograms of cocaine and more than $70,000. These seizures were executed on July 2 in Suffolk County, July 4 in Nassau County and Aug. 13 in Dorchester County, Maryland. Etienne and Jacksem Phileppe were stopped by police on Aug. 13 after conducting a narcotics transaction with a known broker in the Cambridge, Maryland area, according to officials, and $44,596 cash was recovered from their vehicle.

"This investigation unveiled a sophisticated smuggling scheme that used false sided suitcases to ship heroin and cocaine across the country," said James J. Hunt, the special agent in charged of the DEA's New York Division. "Once here, this criminal organization supplied user markets in Nassau, Suffolk and Queens counties as well as markets throughout the northeast. DEA offices in Long Island, Syracuse, Baltimore and Phoenix worked collaboratively with Nassau County District Attorney’s Office to identify and arrest the 17 members of this alleged drug trafficking network."

Photos: Alex Costello/Patch