Suffolk Inmates Used Visitors To Traffic Dope At Jail: Sheriff

RIVERSIDE, NY — Three inmates now face drug trafficking charges after a three-month-long investigation uncovered an operation they ran that used visitors and the U.S. Postal System to traffic drugs inside of the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Riverside, the Sheriff’s office said Tuesday.

An undetermined amount of drugs like Heroin, Buprenorphine, Cannabis, K2spice, and "other contraband" were sewn into clothing and "other property," as well as hidden in “packaging material” so that they could be trafficked at the jail, Sheriff Errol Toulon's office said.

Three inmates used the U.S. postal system and five civilians, who visited jailed inmates, to try to traffic the articles into the jail, but they were caught by investigators conducting surveillance and phone monitoring, his office said.

Altogether the group of eight were charged with 25 felonies and 12 misdemeanors, including conspiracy, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal sale of a controlled substance, promoting prison contraband, and criminal facilitation.

Charged in the investigation are the five visitors, including Mastic Beach residents Alimatou Fall, 22, and Briana Boris, 21; Nate Flores, 27, of Sound Beach; Paula Routi, 57, of Setauket; and Albertina Garcia, 54, of Port Jefferson Station. The five were all slapped with multiple charges, including drug possession and conspiracy.

The inmates include Ray Pena, 27, of Port Jefferson Station; Jahmohri Mitchell, 22, of Shirley; and Jonah Routi, 27, of Setauket. The three were all charged with first-degree attempted promoting prison contraband and fifth-degree conspiracy, among other charges.

The investigation was a collaboration between investigators from the Sheriff's Criminal Investigations Bureau and Internal Security, as well as District Attorney’s Office.

Sheriff Errol Toulon commended his staff for their hard work and determination in stopping drugs and other contraband from entering the jail.

“Through surveillance, searches, and detailed investigatory work, these investigators were able to uncover a complex plan to traffic dangerous drugs into the facility," he said. "I thank them and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office for their hard work and dedication to keeping the staff and inmates of the Suffolk County Correctional Facility safe and for stopping these drugs from getting into our facility."

District Attorney Raymond Tierney said "the defendants allegedly conspired to introduce dangerous drugs" into the jail and credited the "excellent" teamwork between the two offices as the reason the scheme was thwarted.

“I want to thank Sheriff Toulon and his team for their timely assistance," he said. "The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office stands ready at all times to assist Sheriff Toulon in enforcing the law and maintaining safety and order in the SCCF.”