High school football coach arrested during drug raid on Long Island
NASSAU COUNTY, Long Island (WABC) -- A longtime high school football coach on Long Island was one of a dozen indicted following a narcotics investigation.
Malverne High School coach Kito Lockwood, 49, is not facing any drug or conspiracy charges but was charged with three counts of criminal possession of a firearm and three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon in the indictment by the Nassau County District Attorney.
Lockwood pleaded not guilty and was released without bail to pretrial services.
He is in his 15th year as Malverne's football coach.
Lockwood's lawyer, Frederick Brewington, says he was inadvertently caught up in the investigation after sleeping at a friend's house. He awoke to a police raid.
According to Brewington, the gun charges against Lockwood were a result of firearms found in the friend's home and the guns and weapons did not belong to the high school coach.
In a statement following the arrest, Malverne Superintendent Lorna Lewis said, "The individual is an employee of the district, as well as a coach. We are aware of the allegations, and do not have any comment at this time."
The trafficking operation involved cocaine, crack and fentanyl.
The DEA and the Nassau County District Attorney's Office conducted months of surveillance across several locations allegedly used for the drug trafficking, including in Valley Stream, West Hempstead, Baldwin and Long Beach.
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