The morning of Aug. 29, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced three indictments charging 29 defendants on a total of 329 counts following three separate long-term joint investigations into narcotics trafficking that spanned from Brooklyn into Suffolk County.
Members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies joined Tierney in announcing the dismantling of five narcotics and firearms distribution operations, which according to Tierney is the largest combined law enforcement effort in Suffolk County history.
In the months that led up to the indictments, law enforcement executed search warrants of cell phones, residences, vehicles, and other digital sources of data.
These warrants, coupled with thousands of hours of electronic and video surveillance, resulted in the identification and subsequent investigation of multiple alleged drug dealing operations centered around the distribution of cocaine, fentanyl, xylazine, methamphetamines and heroin. These alleged drug dealing operations spanned from Brooklyn to Montauk, with significant activity in Riverhead, Patchogue, Mastic, Shirley, Ronkonkoma, Bohemia, Sound Beach, Holbrook, Brentwood, and East Islip.
More than five kilograms of cocaine, 759 grams of xylazine, 809 grams of fentanyl and fentanyl-xylazine mix, 301 grams of heroin-xylazine mix, 2313 fentanyl tablets, 280 grams of MDMA, and over three kilos of crystal meth recovered during the investigations.
Also seized during the investigations were seven firearms, 16 vehicles, over $170K in cash, 39 gold coins valued at approximately $100K, and $287,000 in now frozen bank accounts.
Among the 329 total counts are conspiracy to distribute narcotics, operating as a major trafficker, the sale and possession of narcotics, the possession of multiple illegal firearms, attempted murder of two police officers and an assault upon another police officer.
"The scale of this operation cannot be overstated. These three indictments alleging over 300 total counts attributed to 29 defendants, represent more than just numbers – they represent a substantial blow to the illicit drug trade in our county and a significant step towards safer, healthier communities for all our residents," said Tierney. "Our dedicated teams have worked tirelessly to bring down several alleged interconnected drug trafficking networks that have plagued our streets for far too long.
The investigations were conducted jointly by detectives from the Suffolk County Police Department’s District Attorney Squad, Narcotics Section, and TRACE Unit; the New York State Police; the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the United States Department of Homeland Security (HSI); the Office of Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York; and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office’s East End Drug Task Force (EEDTF).
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Jake Kubetz, Alyssa Costantino, Gabriella DeRosa, William Nash, and Robert Archer of the Narcotics Bureau. The civil asset forfeiture action is being litigated by the Asset Forfeiture and Intelligence Bureau.
Incidents involving The Suffolk County News coverage area
People v. Salvatore Ottomanelli, et al., includes 142 separate counts and 15 defendants, three of which live in The Suffolk County News coverage area.
According to the investigation, in September 2023, members of the EEDTF learned that East Islip resident Salvatore Ottomanelli was allegedly selling cocaine and methamphetamine. After an investigation, law enforcement identified Brentwood resident Nasha Tomlinson as Ottomanelli’s alleged narcotics supplier. In addition, Tomlinson also allegedly supplied cocaine and methamphetamines to Brandon Scanlon of Bohemia, Christoper Hudler of Bohemia, Jaime Mullane of Sound Beach, and Damion Dijennaro of Bohemia, all of whom allegedly resold the drugs to others.
Law enforcement also identified Andrew Cross of Islip Terrace, and his live-in companion, Joann Benison, as Ottomanelii’s alleged suppliers of cocaine and fentanyl. Throughout their investigation, investigators identified Famous Wilson of Central Islip, Paul Bernard of Bay Shore, and Gary Morrow of Central Islip, as Cross’ alleged narcotics suppliers.
On April 4, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at an apartment in Bohemia which was allegedly used by Tomlinson, Scanlon, Hudler, Mullane, and Dijennaro as a stash house to sell cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine. Scanlon allegedly fled the location in his vehicle and struck a Suffolk County Police officer in order to evade capture.
Scanlon then allegedly fired multiple shots at law enforcement when they attempted to stop him, leading law enforcement on an extended vehicle pursuit. He fired multiple shots at law enforcement when they attempted to stop him and eventually crashed his minivan on the Sunrise Highway service road in Bay Shore.
During a search of the vehicle that Scanlon allegedly fled in, law enforcement recovered a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol, cocaine, and fentanyl. At the execution of another search warrant at an alleged stash house in Sound Beach, law enforcement recovered an additional 100 grams of fentanyl, 42 grams of cocaine, 112 grams of crystal methamphetamine and an AK-47.
Tomlinson allegedly continued to sell narcotics at additional alleged stash houses, despite the execution of the search warrant.
On May 15, 2024, during the execution of a search warrant at Ottomanelli’s residence in East Islip, law enforcement allegedly seized eight individually wrapped bags of methamphetamine weighing over 226 grams, multiple cell phones, drug paraphernalia including scales, and five magazines.
That same day, May 16, 2024, Tomlinson was arrested at his residence in Brentwood. During a search of his residence, Tomlinson was allegedly found in possession of 759 grams of xylazine, 688 grams of cocaine, 67 grams of crack cocaine, 149 grams of fentanyl, 27 grams of crystal meth, cash, and drug paraphernalia.
Xylazine, also known as “Tranq,” is a powerful tranquilizer used to sedate large animals such as horses, and is commonly mixed with fentanyl and other drugs to prolong or enhance their effects.
“Despite the fact it has been used to enhance fentanyl for sale on our streets, despite the fact that in over 15 percent of all overdoses, toxicology comes back with xylazine in their system, notwithstanding all of that, xylazine is still legal to possess in New York State,” explained Tierney. “We need help from our legislature. Quite frankly, it is unconscionable that our legislature has failed to act, and xylazine is still legal to possess in New York State. That needs to change.”
Indictments of residents of The Suffolk County News coverage area
The following residents of The Suffolk County News coverage area were indicted:
Brandon Scanlon, 33, of Bohemia, faces a top count of Attempted Murder in the First Degree, a Class A-I violent felony. On Aug. 14, he was arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro, who ordered Scanlon remanded during the pendency of the case. Scanlon is due back in court on Oct. 3 and faces 40 years to life in prison if convicted on the top count.
Christopher Hudler, 37, of Bohemia, faces a top count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, a Class A-II felony. On April 19, he was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Ambro, who ordered Hudler be held on $500,000 cash, $2,000,000 bond, or $5,000,000 partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Hudler is due back in court on Sept. 5, 2024, to be arraigned on a superseding indictment, and faces up to six to 14 years in prison if convicted on the top count.
Damion Dijennaro, 55, of Bohemia, faces a top count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony. Dijennaro is scheduled to be arraigned on the indictment on Sept. 10 and faces up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top count.
