Family, Friends Ran Drug Ring Busted in Nanuet: DA

A highly disciplined, tight network of family and friends helped a Spring Valley man run a major drug-trafficking operation out of a room at the Days Inn in Nanuet, according to Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe.

Charges against 30 people, several of them related and many of them career criminals, include the first use in Rockland County of New York state’s new “kingpin statute,” which is designed to increase the penalties for major narcotics traffickers or managers of drug trafficking organizations.

The bust came after a five-month investigation that involved the police departments of Spring Valley, Ramapo, Clarkstown, Orangetown and Suffern as well as New York State Police, Rockland County agencies, the New York Organized Crime Strike Force Group Z-52, the New York Drug Enforcement Tactical Diversion Squad (TDS) and the Department of Homeland Security.

Here’s the DA’s full statement:

Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe today announced the filing of criminal charges against 30 individuals, including a Spring Valley man serving lifetime parole for attempted murder and other career criminals, following a five month investigation into large-scale narcotics trafficking that originated from a guest room at the Days Inn motel on Route 59 in Nanuet.

The defendants - who range in age from 23 to 61 - are charged with selling crack and powdered cocaine and heroin to customers in and around Rockland County. According to the charges, members and associates of the organization conspired to distribute more than $500,000 in illegal drugs each year.

“This long-term investigation, which involved court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance and the execution of search warrants, underscores the continuing commitment by my office and our local police departments to keep drugs off of our streets,” said District Attorney Zugibe. “Drugs and guns are a deadly combination. We will continue to employ aggressive and innovative tactics to track down and prosecute dangerous drug dealers and other violent criminals who seek to terrorize our communities.”

District Attorney Zugibe said that the investigation, known as “Operation Money Mike,” began in June 2015 after the Rockland County Drug Task Force and the Village of Spring Valley Police Department learned that various illegal drugs were allegedly available for sale via a disciplined network of drug dealers based at the Days Inn, 367 West Route 59, Nanuet.

In response, Drug Task Force and Spring Valley detectives made numerous undercover narcotics buys and conducted extensive physical surveillance, which enabled investigators to obtain court authorization for search warrants of several distribution locations, including Room 322 at the Days Inn, occupied by Michael McMullin (DOB 05/22/66) and Jacqueline Mack (DOB 10/26/67).

It is alleged that Michael McMullin was at the nexus of the distribution ring, and that several of his family members and friends helped him flood the streets of Rockland County with cocaine and heroin.

According to the charges, the defendants referred to heroin as “dog food” and “hush puppies.”

According to the charges, intercepted conversations identified several locations of narcotics sales. Drug suppliers and runners were often identified by undercover detectives and by officers on routine patrols.

The investigation revealed that Michael McMullin, Jacqueline Mack and Derrick McMullin (DOB 08/30/67) of 87 Fred Hecht Drive, Spring Valley, New York were supplied by Aaron Parker (DOB 02/24/64) and Patricia Mortel (DOB 02/26/1982) of 220 Kearsing Parkway, Apartment F, Monsey, New York.

As part of the investigation, officers executed three court-authorized search warrants and recovered five firearms, including two shotguns, two loaded automatic handguns, one loaded revolver and $30,000 in cash. Also seized were several grams of powdered and crack cocaine; several ounces of heroin and prescription drugs.

“Operation Money Mike” marks the first time prosecutors in Rockland County have levied charges under New York State’s so-called “kingpin statute,” a tough new law designed to increase the penalties for major narcotics traffickers or managers of drug trafficking organizations.

According to the charges, Michael McMullin acted “as a director of a controlled substance organization,” while Aaron Parker acted “as a profiteer,” knowingly and unlawfully selling a narcotic drug, with the proceeds collected or due from such sale or sales have a total aggregate value of $75,000 or more. The defendants are variously charged with the crimes of second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a Class A II felony punishable by up to ten years in prison and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a Class B felony punishable by up to nine years in prison.

Each of the defendants have prior criminal histories for a variety of felony crimes, including attempted murder, robbery, burglary, assault, rape, criminal sale and possession of controlled substances, possession of weapons/firearms, larceny and parole violations.

The Rockland County Drug Task Force recognizes its valuable partnership with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. This partnership has provided tremendous resources to the Rockland County Drug Task Force, its intelligence and analytical mapping. Utilizing state and federal resources demonstrates the commitment of the Rockland County Drug Task Force to dismantling narcotic networks.

The investigation and arrests were carried out by the Spring Valley Police Department, the Town of Ramapo Police Department Uniform Patrol and Street Crime Unit, the Town of Clarkstown Police Department Street Crime Unit, K-9 Unit, C.I.R.T team and Uniform Patrol, the Town of Orangetown Police Department, the Village of Suffern Police Department, the New York State Police Troop F – Haverstraw K-9 Unit, the Intelligence Led Policing and Prosecution Center, New York State Parole, Rockland County Probation Department, Rockland County Department of Social Services, the New York Organized Crime Strike Force Group Z-52, the New York Drug Enforcement Tactical Diversion Squad (TDS) and the Department of Homeland Security.