Police

Update: Suspect in Lewis Street drug bust sentenced to 9 months

Anton Mack.
Anton Mack.

A Riverhead man arrested in connection with a drug bust at a home on Lewis Street in Riverhead last November has been sentenced to nine months in prison.

According to online court records, Anton Mack, 25, was sentenced Wednesday in Suffolk County Criminal Court by Judge Mark Cohen.

Mr. Mack pleaded guilty June 11 to two counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, court records show.

Mr. Mack and nine other suspects were arrested following the investigation, which included undercover agents, confidential informants, hidden surveillance cameras and the tapping of cell phones. It involved police from across East End departments, as well as county and state police, the sheriff’s office and personnel from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and Homeland Security Investigations.

All were focused on what Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota and his lead investigators described as an open-air drug market, the likes of which they had never before seen, outside a long-vacant house at 29 Lewis St. in Riverhead. Locals had come to call the building “The Carport” due to its most distinguishing, yet sagging, feature.

[Related: Video surveillance, wire taps: Inside the Lewis Street drug bust]

Charges listed for the other suspects arrested in connection with the investigation, according to online documents:

T• Kenneth Belcher, 28, of Riverhead pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 3 1/2 years.

 
 
 

T• William Brown, 29, of Riverhead pleaded guilty July 1 to one count of third-degree attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance. He’s due back in court Aug. 12.

 
 
 

T• Romaine Hopkins, 33, of Northampton pleaded guilty July 1 to one count of fourth-degree conspiracy and three counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. He’s due back in court Aug. 12.

 
 
 

T• Kotarra Jackson, 33, of Mastic pleaded guilty Feb. 24 to one count of fourth-degree conspiracy. She’s due back in court Aug. 10.

 
 
 
 

Tywan Jones• Tywan Jones, 36, of Riverhead pleaded guilty July 17 to one count of fourth-degree conspiracy. He’s due back in court Aug. 19.

 
 
 
 

T• Terrill Latney, 36, of Mastic was charged with one count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and is due back in court Sept. 11.

 
 
 
 

T• Quandol Lewis, 31, of Riverhead pleaded not guilty at his Jan. 30 arraignment to one count of criminal possession of a narcotic drug and one count of fourth-degree conspiracy. He’s due back in court Aug. 6.

 
 
 
 

Madison Murrell• Madison Murrell, 34, of Quogue pleaded guilty Feb. 3 to third-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.

 
 
 
 

T• Darius Strong, 36, of Riverhead pleaded not guilty at his March 3 arraignment to several charges, including the following felony charges: criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a narcotic drug with intent to sell cocaine, criminal possession of a narcotic drug with intent to sell a dangerous drug, second-degree criminal possession of a loaded firearm and third-degree criminal possession of weapon.

Mr. Strong was also arrested on endangering the welfare of a child charges, second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia (scales) and second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia (packages), all misdemeanors. He’s due back in court Aug. 12.

[email protected]

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Kenneth Belcher pleaded guilty June 5 to one count of second-degree attempted criminal possession of a loaded firearm. Following his arrest, Mr. Belcher was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. The News-Review regrets the error. The status of his case wasn’t immediately available.