Crimes Nearby: Cocaine 'Kingpin' Busted in Riverhead

RIVERHEAD

• The "kingpin" behind a major drug ring that distributed cocaine across the East End was operating out of his Riverhead home, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said on Tuesday. Robert Love, 58, of 29 Oakland Drive South, was allegedly involved in a Bronx-to-Riverhead drug ring delivering up to 3 kilos a week of powder cocaine; hidden "traps" were used to hide drugs in cars during runs, police say. Spota held to announce the dismantling of the ring.

An investigation by the East End Drug Task Force that began last November resulted in the bust; two were arraigned at Suffolk County criminal court on Tuesday on grand jury indictments. Spota said the alleged "ringleaders" of the drug ring were Love and Miguel Matos, 45, of Hughes Avenue in the Bronx.

• Nicholas M. Horton, 33, of Riverhead, was charged with driving while intoxicated on July 29 at 9 a.m., after he almost hit a Southold Town Police patrol car while he drove west on Route 25 in Orient, police said. The arresting officer was headed east on Route 25 at the time of the near-collision, police said. Horton was found to be under the influence of narcotics and was placed under arrest and held for arraignment, police said.

Miller Place-Rocky Point

• Joseph Militscher, of Mt. Sinai, was arrested July 27 in Farmingville and charged with public lewdness. Militscher was allegedly engaged in a sexual act in public.

• Colin Harrington, 21, of Middle Island, was arrested July 26 in Rocky Point and charged with first-offense DWI. Harrington was pulled over for speeding on 25A and North Country Road where he was found to be intoxicated, police said.

• Louis Perfetto, of Miller Place, was arrested July 24 in Mt. Sinai and charged with second degree menacing. Perfetto was driving on Route 347 at Old Town Road when he allegedly pointed a gun at another driver.

WESTHAMPTON-HAMPTON BAYS

• Nichol M. Dewitt, 42, of Patchogue, was arrested July 29 at 5:03 p.m. in Hampton Bays on Ponquogue Avenue and charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and criminal possession of a controlled substance, both misdemeanors, as well as failure to use a designated lane, a traffic infraction. Police said Dewitt was involved in a motor vehicle accident and found to be in possession of heroin when she was searched at police headquarters in Hampton Bays.

• Lisa Ann Heusel, 38, of Shirley, was arrested July 23 at 10:21 p.m. in Hampton Bays on Montauk Highway West and charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, both misdemeanors. Police said they responded to a call of an erratic driver driving eastbound on Montauk Highway, driving into oncoming traffic. Heusel was placed under arrest and her vehicle was impounded due to a prior DWI conviction, according to the arrest report.

• Robert C. Hickey, 49, of Mineola, was arrested July 29 at 1:17 a.m. and charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, and speeding, a traffic infraction. Police said they pulled Hickey on Foster Avenue in Hampton Bays and his breath smelled of an alcoholic beverage, his speech was slurred, his eyes were red and glassy, he was unsteady on his feet and performed poorly on sobriety tests.

• Brianna Leigh McConnell, 23, of Port Jefferson, was arrested July 29 at 7:40 p.m. in Hampton Bays in a parking lot on Montauk Highway West and charged with DWI, a misdemeanor. Police said McConnell was pulled over for driving through parking spaces in a vehicle with excessive window tint. He was charged with having non-transparent side windows, a vehicle infraction, and he admitted to drinking eight beers at the Boardy Barn before driving, police said.

SOUTHAMPTON

• Five employees of at the Bridgehampton Commons face petty larceny charges after loss prevention officers caught them taking store merchandise without paying, according to police.
said that between June 25 and July 20, the employees swiped $1354.19 worth of items.
The employees were arrested Monday at 10:12 p.m. at the store

EAST HAMPTON

• Police arrested Melvin Smith, 46, of East Hampton, on July 24 after he reportedly failed to register as a sex offender. Reports state that following a sex offender registry investigation, it was found that Smith had failed to register, and was reportedly found in possession of several pills. He was arrested on charges of failing to register, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, as well as holding a controlled substance in a non-original container. In 1986, Smith was convicted of first-degree rape and first-degree sodomy. 

• Luis Guanga, 37, of East Hampton, was arrested on July 30 and charged with felony DWI, due to a prior conviction within 10 years. According to East Hampton Town Police, Guanga was seen driving westbound on Fort Pond Boulevard, near Florence Street, when he crossed over the solid white line twice.

Police said that upon approaching the car, Guagna had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, bloodshot and glassy eyes, and upon exiting the car, was unsteady on his feet. Police said he performed poorly on all field sobriety tests, and later failed a Breathalyzer test at police headquarters.

• Evan Lightcap, 20, of Montauk, was arrested on July 15 on misdemeanor charges of menacing in the second degree and criminal possession in the fourth degree, and was cited for unlawful possession of marijuana.

Police said they received a call reporting someone menacing with a handgun, and responded, where they found a vehicle fitting the description reported. Police said that after pulling the car over, and asking the driver, Lightcap, to exit, a CO2 cartridge fell from between his legs while exiting. Police reported finding a loaded soft air pistol in his center console, as well as a green leafy substance and a grinder.