Six men, allegedly linked to a Jamaica-based gang, have been arrested and charged for running guns and drugs out of Nassau County on Long Island in New York.
Nassau County Police Commissioner, Patrick Ryder, says the arrests came after a 14-month-long investigation, during which authorities recovered nearly 50 firearms.
The six have been charged with 13 crimes and more than 100 counts combined.
The police say the operation also led to the discovery of a large stash of narcotics, namely cocaine and heroine.
In a statement, the Drug Enforcement Authority, or DEA, called the arrests one of the largest in Nassau County’s history.
The six charged—Robert Petgrave, 30; Andrew Petgrave, 36; Jamari Purrier, 34; Raeem Smith, 23; Clayton Solomon, 48; and Shahede Folkes, 25—all pleaded not guilty when they appeared in court on Friday.
They’re set to return to court on July 21.
Robert Petgrave, Smith, and Solomon face up to 25 years in prison for the sale of a firearm. Andrew Petgrave and Purrier face up to 20 years in prison for the sale of a controlled substance, and Folkes faces up to four years for conspiracy.
Authorities believe Smith, Purrier and Folkes all entered the United States illegally.
In a press conference on July 17, after the arrests, the authorities stated that beginning in April 2025, a multiagency firearms and narcotics trafficking investigation was launched into the suspected gang-related activities of the defendants.
According to investigators, the defendants allegedly obtained firearms from out of state, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia, and trafficked them into Valley Stream and Queens.
The police say as targets, the Petgraves allegedly obtained illegal firearms from Smith and other sources, then sold the firearms to undercover law enforcement officers on eight separate occasions.
Folkes and Solomon were allegedly present at the time of some of the illegal gun transactions.
On multiple occasions, Purrier and Andrew Petgrave allegedly sold heroin and cocaine to undercover officers in 13 separate transactions.
The narcotics transactions occurred throughout Valley Stream, Hempstead, and Queens.
As a result of the monthslong investigation, law enforcement says they recovered 47 illegal handguns, approximately 900 grams of cocaine, and 150 grams of heroin.
It’s alleged the guns were linked to other crimes in Alabama, Suffolk County and other areas of the United States.
