Oxycodone Pill Trafficking Operation Dismantled: DA

SHIRLEY, NY — A man was indicted Tuesday for his role in running an "illicit Oxycodone pill trafficking operation" in Shirley, as well for being in illegal possession of assault weapons, Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini said.

Sini, Homeland Security Investigations New York and the Suffolk County Police Department announced the unsealing of a 19-count indictment against Daniel Hassler, 39, of Shirley, Sini said.

“This individual armed himself to the teeth and he did so, at least in part, to protect his drug business,” Sini said. “That drug business was particularly offensive. He would prey upon individuals with prescriptions for Oxycodone and approach those individuals to purchase Oxycodone from them so that he could illegally distribute those pills to people suffering from addiction.”

Hassler was charged with second degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony; 12 counts of third degree criminal possession of a weapon, a felony; third degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony; fourth degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony; second degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor; seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor; and two counts of fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor, Sini said.

In March, in response to community complaints, the Suffolk County Police Department’s seventh precinct special operations team began an investigation into a drug operation at Hassler’s residence, located on Baybright Drive West in Shirley, Sini said.

The investigation, which was conducted in collaboration with the District Attorney’s office and HSI, revealed evidence that Hassler had been operating an illicit pill trafficking operation for several years in which he purchased Oxycodone pills from individuals who had prescriptions and resold the pills for a profit, Sini said.

Hassler kept a list of people who had prescriptions for Oxycodone and the dates on which their prescriptions would be renewed, he said.

On April 24, a search warrant was executed at Hassler’s home that resulted in the seizure of 11 grams of Oxycodone pills, five scales, a drug ledger, $1,032 in cash and packaging materials consistent with drug sales, Sini said.

Law enforcement also recovered 17 long guns, including four assault weapons, 29 high-capacity magazines and more than 30 boxes of ammunition; among the ammunition seized was a 50-round drum and several “starfish” pentagon AR-15 magazine couplers, Sini said.

“It’s bad enough that a drug dealer had access to these guns and this ammunition, but we also know that crime guns pass multiple hands; a person who uses a gun illegally most likely got that gun from another criminal,” Sini said. “The potential public safety benefit of removing these guns from the street cannot be understated.”

“Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Suffolk County Police Department, the Suffolk County district attorney’s office and Homeland Security Investigations, a man who made a career out of selling Oxycodone pills is being held accountable for his actions,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said. “The department remains committed to cutting off the flow of drugs at the source and will continue pursuing dealers who are fueling the spread of narcotics which is detrimental to addicts, their families and the community.”

Hassler is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice John Collins on May 10, Sini said.

If convicted of the top count, Hassler faces a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison, Sini added.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jacob Kubetz of the narcotics bureau’s special narcotics unit.

“A cornerstone of my administration is to make sure that law enforcement agencies at all levels are working together to strategically investigate and prosecute criminals who are driving crime in the county, posing significant public safety risks and peddling poison in our communities,” Sini said. “This particular defendant checked all of those boxes.”