Details, Names Released in Dismantling of Massive Heroin-Fentanyl Drug Ring

Authorities have released details on the breakup of a major drug ring that brought more than 3,000 bags of heroin cut with fentanyl and pure fentanyl into Long Island communities from New York City drug mills every week.

A total of 24 people were arrested on drug possession and conspiracy charges as a result of the investigation into 10 fatal overdoses in Suffolk and Nassau counties and nine drug overdoses in which individuals were revived with Narcan from September 2015 through May of this year, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said Wednesday afternoon.

“They cut the heroin with fentanyl (a synthetic opioid that can be up to 50 times stronger than heroin) more than most drug dealers; sometimes up to 50 percent, but they also sold pure fentanyl in individual glassine bags to drug users for whom heroin no longer provided the euphoric high they were looking for,” Spota said, adding that law enforcement believes the fentanyl sold by members of the network is manufactured in illicit labs in Mexico and China.

Among those arrested was a 29-year-old Mastic Beach man, Roxy A. Headley Jr., who is alleged to be to one of the major suppliers of fentanyl and heroin in the metropolitan area, Spota said. Headley is charged with operating as a major trafficker, conspiracy in the second degree, and weapons charges. Headley is a prior felony offender and believed to be an active member of the Bloods street gang, Spota said.

During the course of the investigation, law enforcement learned Headley’s primary source of supply for heroin and fentanyl was Carlos Torres, 34, of Wyandanch, Spota said.

Torres, who was arrested July 18, is incarcerated in the Suffolk County Jail and charged with operating as a major trafficker and conspiracy in the second degree. A total of six people are charged with the A-1 felony of operating as a major trafficker charge. The maximum sentence for operating as a major trafficker is 25 years to life.

"One overdose is one too many; and every day, more than 120 people die from an opiate-related overdose in the U.S.," said DEA Special Agent in Charge James Hunt. "The heroin trafficking organizations, like the Headley drug crew, are reaping blood money off the sale of heroin and fentanyl. DEA, along with our state and local law enforcement counterparts, are committed to working together to disrupt and dismantle heroin trafficking organizations in every community."

Gerard Gigante, chief of detectives for the Suffolk County Police Department, said the Suffolk-Nassau Heroin Task Force is focusing on overdose incidents and targeting the dealers who cause them.

Gigante said that to date, counting one fatal heroin overdose Tuesday night, there have been 188 fatal overdoses in Suffolk County this year, “about one every 30 hours."

Here are the names and charges of 23 of the people arrested (authorities did not release the name of the 24th person):

• Roxy Headley Jr., 29, of Mastic Beach – operating as a major trafficker, second-degree conspiracy, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon
• Guillermo Torres, 26, of Massapequa – operating as a major trafficker, second-degree conspiracy, first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
• Edward Gonzalez, 26, of the Bronx – operating as a major trafficker, second- degree conspiracy
• Melquisedec Puello, 29, of Middle Village – operating as a major trafficker, second-degree conspiracy
• Keidy Rodriguez Nunez aka Anthony Nunez, 34, of Ozone Park – operating as a major trafficker, second-degree conspiracy
• Carlos Torres, 34, of Wyandanch – operating as a major trafficker, second- degree conspiracy
• Paul Colletti, 51, of Deer Park – second-degree conspiracy, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled weapon
• Wayne Dunkley, 33, of Brentwood – second-degree conspiracy
• Berline Francois, 24, of Wyandanch – second-degree conspiracy
• Bonita Genao, 24, of Middle Village – second-degree conspiracy
• Roxy Headley Sr., 55, of Mastic – second-degree criminal possession of weapon, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fourth- degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
• Ryan Jones, 34, of Deer Park – second-degree conspiracy
• Thomas Leahey, 31, of Ronkonkoma – second-degree conspiracy
• Monte McCall, 34, of Deer Park – second-degree conspiracy
• Jacqueline Pabon, 24, of Brentwood – second-degree conspiracy
• Vincent Puleo, 28, of Deer Park – second-degree conspiracy
• Elizabeth Rasmussen, 26, of Massapequa – second-degree conspiracy, first degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
• Emmitt Smith, 36, of West Babylon – second-degree conspiracy, two counts of third degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
• Jose Torres, 35, homeless – second-degree conspiracy
• Tramont Ware, 31, of Wyandanch – second-degree conspiracy
• Yusuf Williams, 33, of Deer Park – second-degree conspiracy
• Justin Zmitrovis, 52, of Deer Park – second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
• Mark Zmitrovis, 54, of Deer Park – second-degree conspiracy, second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance

Photos (from top left clockwise): Roxy Headley Jr., Edward Gonzalez, Keidy Rodriguez Nunez, Guillermo Torres, Carlos Torres and Melquisedec Puello