‘Operation Gram Slam’ Among Largest Narcotics Takedowns in Nassau County History: DA

Story posted on July 15:

At least 31 people have been arrested following the “Operation Gram Slam” investigation, which authorities are calling one of the largest narcotics takedowns in Nassau County history.

Twenty-eight men and three women, who all live on Long Island and range from ages 21 to 46, face a cumulative 103-count indictment for crimes related to the possession of heroin and cocaine in Nassau County, Suffolk County and beyond.

“This is a major disruption of a large-scale operation by five major suppliers who are responsible for dealing $2-3 million dollars worth of cocaine and heroin in our streets the last four months alone,” Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said at a press conference Thursday in Mineola.

The 31 people arrested live in the following Long Island communities: Uniondale, Amityville, Islandia, Valley Stream, Hempstead, Westbury, Central Islip, West Hempstead, Middle Island, Elmont, Glen Cove, Smithtown, Farmingdale and Shirley.

These arrests are a result of a 9 month-long investigation by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force.

At 6 a.m. Thursday, the Task Force arrested most of these defendants and began executing search warrants at various locations. Through these search warrants, officials say they recovered:

• $75,000 cash
• 3 assault rifles
• 3 loaded handguns
• More than 1 kilogram of cocaine
• Several hundred grams of heroin
• Several cars, including one car that was a trap for guns and narcotics and contained a few hundred grams of cocaine.

The investigation began in 2015 following a traffic stop arrest in Rockville Centre, which led to the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force looking into local heroin distributors.

The investigation initially focused on two brothers, Donnell Hoyes, 36, and Terrence Hoyes, 29, both of Hempstead, who allegedly sold heroin and cocaine locally. The DA says these brothers may have sold a specific type of heroin that is responsible for five overdoses.

According to officials, Terrance Hoyes conducted the narcotics distribution from his apartment on Gladys Avenue in Hempstead in December. He allegedly sold the drugs in the residence he shared with his girlfriend and their five children.

Through information gathered from electronic surveillance, street-level surveillance, targeted vehicle stops, controlled purchases and other means, authorities discovered that a large quantity of narcotics was being distributed to a network of Long Island drug dealers by major drug trafficker David Ramis, 38, Singas said.

The investigation revealed Ramis provided large quantities of heroin and cocaine to the Hoyes brothers as well as 50 other dealers with their own independent drug operations throughout Long Island and upstate New York, the DA says.

Officials say Nassau County residents Lonnie McKithen, 35, Shamiek Porter, 24, and Ronald Gilbert, 46, were all major drug dealers along with Terrance Hoyes.

“These mid-level dealers would then cut, package, redistribute and resell these narcotics for profit,” Singas said.

These men were not “low-level” drug dealers and not addicts themselves, Singas said. “They are all profiteers and sit atop on their own narcotics pyramid with their own geographic areas.”

Ramis, Terrance Hoyes, McKithen, Porter and Gilbert are being charged with operating as major traffickers, a class A felony that carries a prison sentence of 15 years to life, the DA said.

“Today’s operation was an enormous hit against drug dealers in Nassau County and Suffolk County,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini said.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano called these alleged heroin rings a “major large-scale pipeline of death, addiction and family destruction.”

According to the DA, the following information was discovered over the course of the investigation:

• McKithen sold drugs out of his Sutton Street home in Hempstead.
• Gilbert sold drugs on Kellum Place in Hempstead and off Nassau Road in Uniondale.
• Michael Butler Jr., 41, sold drugs in Glen Cove.
• Dwayne Yearwood, 36, sold drugs out of his home in Uniondale and serviced a client base in Great Neck.
• Porter serviced a mobile narcotics delivery service using a BMW 7 Series and a rented Ford Focus. Evidence recovered at one of his residences in Nassau County revealed packaging material, cutting agents and other paraphernalia for a heroin mill, the DA says. Ammunition for several types of guns, 16 cell phones and Bloods Gang paraphernalia were also recovered, the DA says.
• Ramis did many of his deliveries in a 2014 black Honda Accord. He met with clients from all over New York and made sales from a relative’s home, his girlfriend’s house as well as in parking lots and several commercial businesses in Nassau County. He sometimes provided door-to-door service, the DA said.
• Jaymes Buckley, 36, and another defendant became known targets after NCPD K-9 officer Jake helped recover $56,000 from a vehicle that was abandoned at the scene of an accident in Garden City. This discovery tied an unrelated accident to this narcotics ring, the DA said.

• Pictured: K-9 Officer Jake

Others arrested include:

• Brandon Tirado, 24
• Nakaya Prince, 37
• Yuhura McCray, 36
• Latoya Johnson, no age listed
• Joshua Moore, 25
• Christopher Petty, 32
• Jadiel Cruz, 27
• Michael Leamy, 37
• Gregory Franks, 35
• Michael Price, no age listed
• Shirrele S. Myers, 36
• Mark E. Norman (aka "Tank"), 34
• Moris I. Centeno, 28
• Hassan Lloyd, 46
• Dica M. Thompson, 44
• Phil Douglas, 46
• Tyrone Brown, 35

The investigation is ongoing. Authorities are still making arrests and still issuing warrants. Two alleged dealers from Albany are also expected to be transported to Nassau County for arraignment. “Totals are likely to change,” Singas said.

Singas' message to drug dealers? "We are actively looking for you."