42°
A Spring Valley man serving a lifetime parole for attempted murder and other career criminals are among 30 charged with selling narcotics, Zugibe said Tuesday.
The charges follow a five-month investigation into large-scale narcotics trafficking that allegedly originated from a guest room at the Days Inn motel on Route 59 in Nanuet, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The defendants range in age from 23 to 61 and are charged with selling crack and powdered cocaine and heroin to customers in and around Rockland County, the District Attorney’s Office said.
According to the charges, members and associates of the organization allegedly conspired to distribute more than $500,000 in illegal drugs each year, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
“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 Zugibe.
The investigation began in June after police learned that various illegal drugs were allegedly available for sale via a disciplined network of drug dealers based at the Days Inn in Nanuet, Zugibe said.
Detectives allegedly made numerous undercover narcotics buys and conducted extensive physical surveillance, enabling investigators to obtain court authorization for search warrants of several distribution locations, including Room 322 at the Days Inn, allegedly occupied by Michael McMullin, 49, and Jacqueline Mack, 48, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
It is alleged that 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, the District Attorney’s Office said.
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, 48, of Spring Valley, were supplied by Aaron Parker, 51 and Patricia Mortel, 33 of Monsey, according to the District Attorney’s office.
As part of the investigation, officers executed search warrants and allegedly recovered five firearms, including two shotguns, two loaded automatic handguns, one loaded revolver and $30,000 in cash., the District Attorney’s Office said.
Several grams of powdered and crack cocaine; several ounces of heroin and prescription drugs were allegedly also seized, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The defendants are variously charged with the crimes of second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, the District Attorney’s Office said.
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, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The investigation and arrests were carried out by the Spring Valley, Ramapo, Clarkstown, Orangetown Suffern and Haverstraw police departments.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Clarkstown and receive free news updates.
