Nassau Man Gets Max Sentence For Role In Drug Trafficking Ring

A Roosevelt man was sentenced on Tuesday to 24 years in prison — the maximum sentence — for his role in a heroin trafficking ring that sold drugs in Nassau, Suffolk and Queens.

On May 5, 2017, District Attorney Madeline Singas announced the indictment of 14 people as part of Operation Tri-County for their roles in a large-scale heroin trafficking ring that operated in Nassau, Queens and Brooklyn. Among them was Eddie Parker, 63. The 14 accused dealers allegedly distributed more than 23,000 doses of heroin a week and conservatively sold approximately $170,000 a week of the narcotic.

The indictment was the result of 15-month-long investigation into local heroin distributors by the DA, the Nassau County Police Department and the FBI Long Island Gang Taskforce, with the assistance of the Hempstead Police Department, Rockville Centre Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, Suffolk County Police Department, New York Police Department and other agencies.

“This 24-year prison sentence should send a clear message that anyone dealing drugs in Nassau should expect to face serious consequences for their actions,” Singas said. “We have no tolerance for those with any role in the trafficking operations that make dealers rich while leaving our neighbors drug-addicted or dead.”

Parker was arrested on Feb. 8, 2017 for selling crack-cocaine from a Hempstead business. At the time of his arrest, 60 grams of crack-cocaine, scales and several thousand dollars in cash was recovered. Over the course of the investigation, Parker was observed taking part in numerous drug sales.

Parker was convicted on Jan. 16 of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia.

Photo: Nassau County District Attorney's Office