An Albertson woman and Baldwin man were arrested in Baldwin on Friday at 4:50 p.m. for possessing and selling a substance believed to be heroin and fentanyl to a Nassau County resident, according to Nassau County Police.
Jesse Sullivan, and Samantha Carroll, both 25, were arrested without incident at Sullivan’s Baldwin residence, police said.
The arrest follows a lengthy investigation involving several overdoses and numerous community complaints, police said.
The investigation was part of Operation Natalie, Nassau County’s war against opioids.
Sullivan is charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Carroll is charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.
Jude Valerie Alexander adjourned both cases during arraignments on Saturday. Sullivan is held on bail of $7,500 bond or $3,750 cash, and Carroll on bail of $15,000, or $7,500 cash.
They are due back in court on Tuesday.
Sullivan’s father told News 12 he was somewhat relieved to hear his son was arrested.
“My son has a problem. We’re aware of it,” he told News 12. “If he’s doing anything they’re accusing him of, he is where he belongs.”
As part of Operation Natalie and Nassau’s five-prong approach of education, awareness, enforcement treatment and diversion, police said the department will continue with its zero-tolerance policy to illegal drug activity within the county.
Nassau police have also been using a new ODMAP system that gives the department real-time information about overdoses in Nassau County, which the department has attributed to dropping rates of opioids overdoses.
In June, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said countywide fatal overdoses were down 7 percent and non-fatal overdoses were down about 30 percent compared to last year at the same time.
Reach reporter Rebecca Klar by email at rklar@theislandnow.com, by phone at 516-307-1045, ext. 204, or follow her on Twitter @rebeccaklar_.
