Copiague Man Gets 15 Years In Prison For Poss. Of Illegal Drugs: DA

COPIAGUE, NY — A Copiague man received 15 years in prison on Thursday, after he fled from police on an unregistered dirt bike and was found in possession of drugs and a loaded firearm, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.

Joe Nunez, 34, also received five years of post-release supervision, for multiple felony drug and weapon possession charges, after a jury trial in May.

On Aug. 14, 2022, Suffolk County Police responded to the vicinity of Campagnoli Avenue in Copiague in response to unrelated noise complaints, according to evidence established at trial

Upon concluding addressing the noise complaints, the officers observed Nunez operating an unregistered dirt bike.

When they attempted to approach him, Nunez fled on the dirt bike but struck a parked vehicle. He then ran from the scene of the accident while an officer pursued him on foot, prosecutors said.

During the chase, the officer observed Nunez throw a black metal object under a vehicle that was
parked on the corner of Campagnoli Avenue and Colombo Avenue. The officer continued to chase Nunez and saw him throw a clear plastic bag over a fence and into a residential yard located on Columbo Avenue, prosecutors said.

After apprehending and arresting Nunez, the officers returned to the two locations where Nunez
discarded the items during the chase.

They discovered a loaded illegal firearm under the vehicle, as well as a clear plastic bag containing three separate bags containing substances that were later tested and determined to be fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine, respectively, prosecutors said.

“In this defendant’s haste to evade law enforcement, he damaged property, threw a loaded illegal weapon onto a public street, and littered someone’s yard with dangerous and deadly drugs,” said Tierney. “The prosecution of cases involving illegal drugs and guns is extremely important to my Office because their infiltration into our communities inevitably results in violence, addiction, and death.”

On May 23, Nunez was found guilty after a jury trial heard before Supreme Court Justice,
the Honorable John B. Collins, for the charges of:

● Two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
● One count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon
● Two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
● One count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon

Nunez has multiple prior felony convictions dating back to 2007, Tierney said.

In 2015, Nunez was convicted of second-degree assault. In 2009, he was convicted of criminal third-degree possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, prosecutors said. In 2007, Nunez was convicted of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, prosecutors said.

Patch reached out to Jonathan Manley, Nunez's attorney, for comment.