Long Island heroin ring linked to 17 overdoses, 5 deaths busted

SHIRLEY, New York (WABC) -- Police have arrested at least three suspects after a two-month wiretap investigation that authorities say resulted in the dismantling of a large scale heroin/fentanyl distribution network in Shirley.

Prosecutors say 21-year-old Ian Dunn was responsible for three heroin related deaths; one involving a mother and her 19-year-old son.

"Cell phone examination, eyewitness identification puts Dunn at their home selling drugs at 6:30 p.m. They died or were found dead six hours later," said Thomas Spota, Suffolk County District Attorney. "In one of the other fatal overdoses the victim's father has told police that Dunn was his son's supplier. He in fact had chased Dunn off of his property shortly before his son passed away."

Prosecutors say Dunn's supplier was Yulisa Almonte.

Investigators say when they raided her home in Bay Shore recently they found 200 grams of heroin and tons of cash.

Her 2-year-old daughter was also there.

Almonte's family was distraught after leaving court Wednesday morning.

Investigators say Richard Castano would rent cars to run the drugs.

They say when they arrested Navy veteran Jason Dyer he was in possession of 900 bags of fentanyl, a powerful chemical cutting agent.

Then there's Kenyatta Grier.

She's accused of having her 15-year-old son trade off money for the drugs.

They say the mother of three would buy drugs every two weeks from Almonte, consuming them herself as well.

She's also six months pregnant.

The judge told her he had to protect the human in utero.

To guarantee she stays in jail and off drugs he gave her a $1 million bail.

"She was not involved in distributing heroin, selling heroin she's not charged with any kind of sales. We've entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf and look forward to defending her vigorously in court," said Robert Macedonio, Grier's attorney.

Both investigations were conducted by prosecutors in the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, working with the Suffolk County Police Department Narcotics Squad.