DA announces ‘takedown of major drug traffickers’ who operated in Riverhead

A multi-agency investigation resulted in the arrest of nine alleged 18th Street gang members who were selling powered cocaine and crack cocaine near the Riverhead train station, the Riverhead McDonald’s and other areas in the East End, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini.

While nine of the suspects were arrested and indicted, three other suspects who were indicted remain at large, the DA said.

Four of the suspects were ordered held on bail of $1 million cash or $3 million bond. 

“This is a takedown of major drug traffickers operating here in Suffolk County, selling crack cocaine and powdered cocaine in amounts of $75,000 worth of drugs each month for the organization. 

“They were doing so in a way that was terrorizing the community,” he said.

He added that drugs were being sold by “dangerous gang members” in front of retail establishments and food places in Riverhead.

“This dealt a major blow to drug dealing going on in the Riverhead area and throughout the East End of Long Island,” Mr. Sini said.

Like the MS-13 gang, 18th Street gang started in the Los Angeles area but grew in Central America, in countries like Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, Mr. Sini said. And like MS-13, the gang members use machetes to carry out violence in furtherance of their gang activities, he said.  

All but one of the suspects is in the country illegally, he said.

“This is a vicious and violent gang made up, typically, of folks from the Central America area,” he said. “Our message to those gang members, from these law enforcement agencies, is very clear: you are not welcome here.” 

The investigation began in July 2020 and police used wiretap to track the suspects. 

The five men facing the top charge of operating as a major trafficker are looking at a sentence of 25 years to life in jail, if convicted, Mr. Sini said. 

The agencies working on the case involved the DA’s office, the East End Drug Task Force, Homeland Security; the police departments in Southampton, East Hampton and Riverhead; New York State police, the Suffolk Sheriff’s office, and Southampton Village Police.

The suspects also sold drugs in areas of Southampton, Hampton Bays and Westhampton, along with Port Jefferson Station, Lake Grove, Ronkonkoma, Centereach and Medford, officials said.

Over the course of the three-month wiretap, officials identified more than 200 local buyers. The dealers sold enormous amounts of small quantities of drugs, Mr. Sini said.

“We executed search warrant yesterday at seven locations which resulted in the recovery of 300 grams of cocaine, 50 pills of MDMA (Ecstasy), seven grams of methamphetamine, packaging material consistent with drug sales, a .38-caliber revolver and approximately $70,000 in cash,” Mr. Sini said. 

“We also seized multiple machetes and shotguns…. and also seized half a kilogram of cocaine during the investigation,” he added.

The nine defendants in custody are:

• Deris Denilo Matamoros Alvarado, a/k/a “Derry,” 35, of Riverhead. He faces the most charges of the defendants currently in custody, including the top charge of operating as a major trafficker. His bail is $1 million cash, $3 million bond or $5 million partially-secured bond.

• Marvin Javier Ruiz Paz, a/k/a “Pulga,” 39, of Centereach. He faces three counts of operating as a major trafficker in additional to other charges. His bail is also $1 million cash, $3 million bond or $5 million partially-secured bond.

• Kennedi Octavio Gonzalez Paiz, a/k/a “Kenni,” 37, of Riverhead. He faces two counts of operating as a major trafficker as well as other charges. He is remanded pending a bail application.

• Elvin Naun Bonilla Morales, a/k/a “Elvito,” 39, of Southampton. He faces two counts of operating as a major trafficker and other charges. His bail is $1 million cash, $3 million bond or $5 million partially-secured bond.

• Marvin Javier Bonilla Morales, 33, of Southampton. He faces two counts of operating as a major trafficker and other charges. His bail is $1 million cash, $3 million bond or $5 million partially-secured bond.

• Christopher Emmanuel Millan Marin, a/k/a “Cuervo,” 35, of Riverhead. He faces felony charges of second-degree conspiracy and two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. He is remanded pending bail application.

• Brian Jefferson Toro Maldonado a/k/a “Torro,” 27, of Mastic. He faces felony charges of second-degree conspiracy and two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. He was released on his own recognizance after the DA’s office requested supervised release.

• Wilmer Wilfredo Godoy Chacon, 34, of Westhampton. He faces felony charges of second-degree conspiracy and two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy. He was also released on his own recognizance.

• Jose Roberto Alvarado Romero, a/k/a “Robertito,” 40, of Riverhead. He faces felony charges of second-degree conspiracy, two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy and second-degree criminal facilitation. He was also released on his own recognizance.

Three additional alleged co-conspirators will be arraigned at a later date.

All of the defendants arraigned so far pleaded not guilty.