Long Island Siblings Arrested for Fentanyl Trafficking Ring Spanning Nassau County

A brother and sister were arrested on Long Island for running a large-scale fentanyl trafficking operation, with five suspects charged in total.

Brother and Sister Among Five Charged in Long Island Fentanyl Ring

A brother and sister have been arrested on Long Island and charged with running a drug trafficking organisation that distributed fentanyl and other narcotics across Nassau County, abc7ny.com reports. Three additional suspects face charges in connection with the same case.

Investigators said the operation was headquartered in Jamaica, Queens, and functioned as a round-the-clock distribution network serving buyers in Massapequa, Merrick, Valley Stream, Roosevelt and Glen Cove.

Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said the group set themselves apart by mixing fentanyl with other substances themselves and packaging the product under a distinctive brand name. "This is how you say, 'My product's better than the guy down the street,'" Donnelly said.

Authorities allege the branding ultimately assisted investigators in tracing the operation. Detectives found bags labelled "Bruce Banner" and bearing an image of the Hulk at two separate overdose scenes, leading them to the phone of 42-year-old Jemmal Bryan. Bryan is accused of leading the organisation and actively marketing the drugs to customers. "He asked clients, if they — I'm going to quote again — 'wanted to die tonight,'" Donnelly said.

Donnelly also quoted Bryan as telling customers: "I got the whole of Long Island."

Police seized firearms, cocaine, crack cocaine and fentanyl during the course of the investigation. A portion of the fentanyl had allegedly been mixed with xylazine, an animal sedative commonly known as "Tranq."

Authorities additionally named Leo Duchnowski of Glen Cove as a participant in the ring. Duchnowski had initially been released following earlier charges but allegedly resumed drug activity. Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder described one incident involving Duchnowski: "He sells to an individual that overdoses in his house and dies. He drags that body out into the yard and calls 911."

Duchnowski is now being held in custody. Investigators further allege that he rented a vehicle using the name of his brother, who had previously died from an overdose, and that Bryan used that vehicle to sell drugs.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)