Riverhead drug rings busted
Two East End cocaine enterprises were based in the town
By Michael White
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"This is a major dent into the cocaine trafficking on the East End of Long Island," Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said at a Tuesday press conference in Riverhead Criminal Court, as he stood behind a collection of seized guns, drugs and cash.
While the leaders of the two unrelated cocaine rings were based "in the Riverhead and Flanders area, the drugs were distributed as far as Greenport on the North Fork and Montauk on the South Fork," Mr. Spota said.
The East End Drug Task Force -- comprising federal, state and local law-enforcement agencies -- used tips from neighbors and drug informants, undercover officers, wiretaps and electronic surveillance to gather sufficient evidence to take down the rings, he said.
One of the alleged leaders, Salvatore Sapienza, 48, of 128 Kings Drive in Riverhead, was arrested June 25 on drug charges, along with alleged accomplice Barbara Divello, 39, of 245 Bayview Ave., Mattituck.
Mr. Spota announced Tuesday the arrests of four more locals connected to what he referred to as "the Sapienza ring."
But Mr. Sapienza's was the smaller of the two alleged drug rings, he said.
The other alleged drug boss, Vincent (Flop) Love, 45, who had held a high-paying job with Keyspan, was busted July 19 in Queens after police witnessed him purchase 1.5 kilograms of cocaine. Cops swooped in, arrested Mr. Love and seized the drugs from his car, Mr. Spota said.
They later confiscated an UZI submachine gun, which was in a duffel bag bearing Mr. Love's name and address, from a female cohort in Mastic Beach. A subsequent search of Mr. Love's Doctors Path home also turned up a loaded shotgun, scales, packaging materials and what appeared to be two more kilograms of cocaine, officials said.
Mr. Love later told investigators the two additional bags were filled with fake cocaine, and that he kept the phony kilos as a decoy for potential burglars or home invaders, Mr. spota said.
"He was prepared in the event that he was the target of one of these home invasions robberies," he said. "This shows two things. One, the danger of this type of operation, and two, that he was [well-known in the drug trade]."
Cops confiscated $35,000 in cash from another Mr. Love accomplice. The total amount of cocaine confiscated from the ring was worth about $66,800, officials said.
Mr. Spota said information first surfaced on the two cocaine enterprises from community members, several of whom called or wrote letters to local police outlining what they believed to be drug activity at various locations in Riverhead and elsewhere. The investigation was then launched, and only widened as the months progressed, Mr. Spota said.
Mr. Sapienza was arrested last month after search warrants were executed at his business, SAP's Auto at 944 East Main St. in Riverhead, and a Route 58 garage he rented to store a race car, Mr. Spota said.
Police seized 20 grams of cocaine from a metal lockbox under a work counter at the Route 58 garage, as well as 160 Vicodin painkillers. Scales and cocaine residue were found at SAP's Auto and some $5,000 in cash was recovered from Mr. Sapienza's pocket, officials said.
He was charged with conspiracy, two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal sale of a controlled substance with intent to sell.
He was arraigned in Riverhead Justice Court and freed on $20,000 bail.
Mr. Sapienza's lawyer, William Goggins of Mattituck, said that his office is conducting its own investigation and that it was too soon to comment on the charges. Also arrested in connection with Mr. Sapienza and Ms. Divello were Mattituck residents John Christie, 44, Robert Padadino, 49, and Timothy Thilberg, 27. A Riverhead accomplice, Jeff Guida, 48, was also nabbed in the take-down, authorities said.
All suspects in the Sapienza ring are facing conspiracy charges -- and 25 years behind bars.
Of the ring allegedly operated by Mr. Love, police said he sent much of his drugs to the Riverside home of 41-year-old Scott Baker for packaging.
Police stormed that home and recovered packaging materials, as well as 87 grams of powder cocaine and 96 grams of crack, Mr. Spota said.
Two Riverhead men, Christopher Magee, 35, and William Jennings, 51, both of 821 East Main St., Riverhead, were also arrested in the bust of Mr. Love's alleged enterprise, as was Antonio Hobson, 26, of Second Street, Riverhead, officials said. Charges against Mr. Magee are pending.
The others nabbed in the bust were from various East End towns.
Mr. Love was charged with conspiracy and criminal possession of a controlled substance, felonies that could land him in state prison for up to 25 years.
His lawyer, Barry Feldman of Southampton, noted that Mr. Love is a married father of three adult children and has worked for Keyspan for 22 years. "We're conducting our own investigation and we pled not guilty and we're contesting these allegations," he said, adding that Mr. Love owns three houses in Riverhead and has never been convicted of a felony.
Mr. Baker and Mr. Jennings also face 25 years behind bars.
Members of the East End Task Force are still investigating the rings, Mr. Spota said. He declined at the press conference to say if police expected additional arrests.
All of the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
