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Investigation in drug trafficking at Riverside jail results in multiple arrests

Three inmates and five visitors to the Suffolk County Jail in Riverside have been charged in a conspiracy to traffic drugs into the jail, the culmination of a three-month investigation, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday.

The investigation was done by the Suffolk Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations bureau and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office, according to officials, who said the drugs were brought into the jail through mail and jail visitations.

The five civilian visitors and three inmates 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, according to Sgt. Paul Spinella of the Sheriff’s office.

“Through surveillance, searches and detailed investigatory work, these investigators were able to uncover a complex plan to traffic dangerous drugs into the facility,” said Sheriff Errol Toulon, in a media release.  

“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,” he added.

The defendants allegedly conspired to introduce dangerous drugs into the jail.

“Thanks to the excellent work of the Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Bureau, working with prosecutors from my office, this scheme was thwarted,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney. “I want to thank Sheriff Toulon and his team for their timely assistance. 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.”

An undetermined amount of drugs including heroin, buprenorphine, marijuana, K2spice and other contraband were trafficked by sewing the drugs into the fabric of clothing and other property, as well as hiding them in the packaging material, officials said. 

The drugs were brought into the jail by mail or on visitors who were visiting inmates in the jail.

The drugs were discovered by Sheriff’s investigators, who were conducting surveillance and phone monitoring throughout the investigation.

The civilian visitors arrested were:

• Alimatou Fall, 22 of Mastic Beach

• Briana Boris, 21, of Mastic Beach

• Nate Flores, 27, of Sound Beach

• Paula Routi, 57, of Setauket

• Albertina Garcia, 54, of Port Jefferson Station

The inmates charged were:

• Ray Pena, 27, of Port Jefferson Station

• Jahmohri Mitchell Shirley, 22, of Shirley

• Jonah Routi, 27, of Setauket

They are all facing multiple felony charges.