Six goons have been arrested and charged in one of many largest gun and drug trafficking busts in Nassau County’s historical past, in line with the native district lawyer’s workplace.
The multi-agency, 14-month investigation recovered 47 unlawful handguns and multiple kilogram of cocaine and heroin that the sellers peddled on Lengthy Island and Queens.
The huge dragnet additionally pulled in help from the ATF, DEA, NYPD, Suffolk County Police, and the US Secret Service.
“Due to this excellent joint investigation, these weapons and medicines won’t ever attain the fingers of criminals who attempt to terrorize our neighborhoods,” mentioned Nassau County District Legal professional Anne T. Donnelly.
“For 5 years, we have now made clear that gun traffickers in Nassau County will face the results, and we’re not slowing down.”
“This was a takedown of historic proportions,” Nassau County Govt Bruce Blakeman mentioned, calling the bust a mixture of “know-how and good old school police work.”
Robert Petgrave, 30, Andrew Petgrave, 36, Jamari Jamaal Purrier, 34, Raeem Smith, 23, Clayton Solomon, 48 and Shahede Folkes, 25, allegedly sourced the firearms from out of state — Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia — and trafficked them into Valley Stream, Hempstead and Queens.
Undercover investigators efficiently purchased handguns eight occasions and medicines 13 occasions whereas investigating the syndicate, in line with the Nassau County District Legal professional’s Workplace.
Robert and Andrew Petgrave have been particularly focused and allegedly obtained the unlawful firearms from Smith and different sources earlier than promoting them to the undercover officers.
Folkes and Solomon have been reportedly current on the time of a number of the unlawful gun transactions.
Purrier and Andrew Petgrave allegedly bought heroin and cocaine to undercover officers in 13 separate transactions.
The investigation started in April 2025.
The entire defendants have been arrested Thursday by the Nassau County Police Division’s Gang Investigation Squad and arraigned on Friday.
All six males pleaded not responsible.
Robert Petgrave, Andrew Petgrave, and Purrier have been slapped with a staggering $500,000 money or $1 million bond, and ordered to give up their passports.
Solomon’s bail was set at $250,000 money.
Smith was remanded to jail with out bail, and Folkes was reduce free to pretrial providers with digital monitoring
Robert Petgrave, Smith, and Solomon every resist 25 years behind bars for first-degree weapon gross sales.
Andrew Petgrave and Purrier resist 20 years on top-level drug felonies, whereas Folkes faces as much as 4 years for conspiracy.
The defendants are all due again in courtroom on July 21.
