Nassau Man Gets 12 Years For Acting As Major Narcotics Trafficker

HEMPSTEAD, NY — A Hempstead man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for acting as a major narcotics trafficker in the area, and throughout Long Island and New York City.

Able McTootle, 43, pleaded guilty on March 30 to 39 separate charges, including operating as a major narcotics trafficker, first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and second-degree conspiracy.

McTootle was one of 40 people indicted in March 2021 as part of “Operation Honeycomb,” an 18-month investigation by the Nassau County District Attorney's office; Federal Bureau of Investigation Long Island Gang Task Force; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Long Island Field Division; the Nassau County Police Department; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the New York State Police; and Drug Enforcement Administration.

“We began this operation to get at the heart of the violence in Hempstead. That investigation led us directly to Able McTootle, a key drug supplier to the most violent individuals in the area,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “The pursuit of this defendant grew into a massive takedown with our local, federal and state partners, that has since resulted in the guilty pleas of more than two dozen drug traffickers and dealers, including several major traffickers from Hempstead. We will continue our work to dismantle the dangerous web of drugs, weapons, and violence that plague our communities, and take narcotics traffickers off our streets.”

According to Donnelly, the DA's office and the ATF began investigating violence and drug trafficking in the Hempstead area in October 2019. After undercover officers made several drug and gun purchases, the DA applied for a warrant for electronic eavesdropping in February 2020 to identify the suppliers.

As the investigation expanded, nine people were identified as major traffickers, including McTootle. Donnelly said McTootle acted as a major supplier to numerous smaller dealers in Nassau County, selling up to four to six kilograms of cocaine every week.

McTootle made more than $1 million a year selling narcotics, and more than $100,000 cash was recovered from him or from people that he had recently given money to so they could purchase cocaine on his behalf.

When McTootle was arrested on March 10, 2021, authorities recovered 404 grams of cocaine, 46 grams of heroin, 21 grams of fentanyl and various drug grinders, blenders, presses and scales in his residence in Hempstead. Authorities also recovered three bulletproof vests and 9 mm ammunition.

Prosecutors say the drugs being sold in Hempstead by McTootle and his co-defendants were trafficked from as far away as Puerto Rico, as well as California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Connecticut.

As the coronavirus pandemic hit in March 2020, Donnelly said the price of drugs began to skyrocket. Cocaine, which was the main drug the ring was peddling, increased from about $32,000 per kilogram to as high as $55,000 per kilogram in August.

Demand vastly exceeded supply, and McTootle and the other major traffickers capitalized on this trend by price-gauging drug addicts. In total, the street value of the narcotics seized during the investigation was estimated to be approximately $2,772,000.

To date, 30 of the defendants indicted in the investigation have pleaded guilty, and 21 of those have been sentenced. The cases against the remaining defendants are pending.