10 LI Residents Nabbed In Major Cocaine Trafficking Bust: DA

EAST END, NY — 10 residents were indicted recently in a massive cocaine trafficking bust, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

The "open-air market operation" was a "family business" of cocaine distribution, the DA said.

According to the investigation, beginning in July 2024, law enforcement launched an investigation into Timothy McKay, Sr., and his residence, located on Brown Street in Riverside, which was reportedly operating as a "drug market," where several people openly sold quantities of crack cocaine to customers who frequented the location, Tierney said.

A detective with the District Attorney’s Office’s fentanyl task force, acting in an undercover capacity, purchased cocaine at the location on 26 separate occasions from several members of the organization, including McKay Sr., Timothy McKay Jr., Joseph McKay and Ronald Love, the DA said.

The investigation revealed that Robert Love acted as the "head" of the operation, which employed several of his brothers as well as Joe McKay, Aleatra Eleeazar, Timothy McKay, Sr, and Timothy McKay Jr., the DA said.

Law enforcement also identified Prince Yellordy, who acted as one of Robert Love's narcotics suppliers, Tierney said.

During the course of the investigation, members of law enforcement covertly surveilled the organization and observed individuals walking up the driveway and into the yard of the Brown Street residence, where they reportedly purchased narcotics from members of the organization, Tierney said. The pattern of activity occurred all throughout the day, seven days per week, the DA said.

In June 2025, Hallock Luce reportedly arranged for the delivery of cocaine to McKay Sr., and Robert Love, Tierney said. Law enforcement later executed a search warrant at Robert Love's residence and recovered more than 14 ounces of cocaine from the living room and bedroom, more than $11,000 in cash, and drug paraphernalia, including digital scales, drug packaging, and a dilutant used in the manufacturing of cocaine, Tierney said.

Throughout the investigation, 18 total search warrants were executed across Suffolk County, Nassau County, and Queens County, including at five separate residences and 12 separate vehicles, the DA said.

Recovered from the various locations were more than 14 ounces of cocaine, more than 100 pounds of illegal cannabis, eight operable firearms, ammunition, more than $170,000 in cash, and drug paraphernalia such as a kilo press, scales, dilutants used in the manufacturing of crack cocaine, and packaging consistent with that used for the distribution of narcotics, Tierney said.

On July 11, the following defendants were arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins, Tierney said.

Robert E. "Boy" Love, 71, of Riverhead, was indicted on charges including first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a Class A felony; first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class A felony; third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B felony; second-degree conspiracy, a Class B felony; and second-degree using drug paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor, Tierney said.

Justice Collins ordered Robert Love held on $2.5 million cash, $5 million bond, or $5 million
partially secured bond during the pendency of the case, the DA said. Love is due back in court on
August 27 and faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count, the DA said. He is being represented by John Halverson, who could not immediately be reached for comment.

Tierney said Timothy McKay Jr., 36, of Riverside, was indicted on charges including first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a Class A felony; second-degree conspiracy; a Class B felony; third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a Class B felony; and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B felony. Justice Collins ordered McKay Jr. held on $1 million cash, $2 million bond, or $2 million partially secured bond during the pendency of the case, the DA said. McKay Jr. is due back in court on July 29 and faces up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top count, the DA said. He is being represented by Christian Killoran, who did not immediately return a request for comment.

Joe McKay, 52, of Riverside, was indicted on charges including second-degree conspiracy, a Class B felony; third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a Class B felony; and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B felony, Tierney said.

Justice Collins ordered McKay held on $500,000 cash, $1.5 million bond, or $1.5 million
partially secured bond during the pendency of the case, the DA said. McKay is due back in court on August 20 and faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count, Tierney said. He is being represented by Keith O’Halloran. "We pled not guilty," O'Halloran said. "He's maintaing his innocence. We haven't gotten any discovery yet, so we don't have the information that they're alleging that they have."

Prince Yellordy, 48, of Freeport, was indicted on the charge of second-degree conspiracy, a Class B felony, Tierney said.

Justice Collins ordered Yellordy held on $1.5 million cash, $3 million bond, or $3 million
partially secured bond during the pendency of the case, the DA said. Yellordy is due back in court on
August 25 and faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count, Tierney said. He is being represented by Scott Zerner, who said he had no comment at the present time.

On Thursday, the following defendants were arraigned on the indictment before Justice
Collins, Tierney said.

Timothy "Booty" McKay Sr., 56, of Riverside, was indicted on charges including first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a Class A felony; second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a Class A felony; third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a Class B felony; third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B felony; second-degree conspiracy, a Class B felony; second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class C felony; and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, a Class D felony, Tierney said.

Justice Collins ordered McKay Sr. held on $2.5 million cash, $5 million bond, or $5 million partially secured bond during the pendency of the case, the DA said. McKay Sr. is due back in court on August 22 and faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count, the DA said. He is being represented by Melissa Aguanno, who told Patch that she had no comment at this time.

Ronald "Boo" Love, 59, of Riverside, was indicted on charges including second-degree conspiracy, a Class B felony; third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, a Class B felony; and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a Class B felony, Tierney said.

Justice Collins ordered Ronald Love placed on supervised release with GPS conditions during the pendency of the case, the DA said. He is due back in court on August 28 and faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count, the DA said. He is being represented by Ian Fitzgerald, who did not immediately return a request for comment.

Aleatra Eleazer, 37, of Northampton, was indicted on charges including second-degree conspiracy, a Class B felony; criminal possession of a firearm, a Class E felony; and endangering the welfare of a child, a Class A misdemeanor, the DA said.

Justice Collins ordered Eleazer placed on supervised release with GPS conditions because her charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail, the DA said.

Eleazer is due back in court on August 26, and faces up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison if
convicted of the top count, the DA said. Her attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.

Hallock "Hal" Luce V, 40, of Riverhead, was indicted on the charge of second-degree conspiracy, a Class B felony, the DA said.

Justice Collins ordered Luce placed on supervised release with GPS conditions because his charges are considered non-bail eligible under current New York State law, meaning prosecutors cannot ask for, and judges cannot set bail, Tierney said.

Luce is due back in court on August 26 and faces 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison if convicted on the top count, the DA said. He is being represented by Edward Burke Jr., who told Patch he had no comment.

Two additional indicted defendants have yet to be arrested and arraigned, the DA said.

The indictment was the result a joint investigation conducted by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s East End Drug Task Force along with members of the Suffolk County Police Department, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the SouthamptonTown Police Department, the Riverhead Town Police Department, the Southampton Village Police Department, the East Hampton Town Police Department, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Gang Violence Task Force, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Fentanyl Task Force, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Freeport Police Department.

"This investigation demonstrates our unwavering commitment to dismantling drug trafficking operations that spew poison into our communities. The defendants in this case allegedly turned a residential neighborhood into an open-air drug market, bringing violence and addiction to the doorsteps of Suffolk County families," said Tierney. "I thank our dedicated law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly on this complex investigation, the success of which underscores the critical importance of collaboration between local, state, and federal agencies to combat the organized sale of illicit drugs."

"Under the strong leadership of District Attorney Tierney, East End law enforcement has been working collaboratively to make cases like this possible. The resources required to build and prosecute these cases are enormous — far beyond the reach of any single agency working alone," said Chief James Kiernan of the Southampton Town Police Department. "This team based approach allows us to return neighborhoods that have been plagued by drug dealers for years back to the hardworking, law-abiding citizens who call them home. Seeing children playing in a community free from drug activity and its associated crime is worth every ounce of effort."

"We thank the District Attorney’s Office for its tireless efforts and unwavering partnership withour police department," said Chief Ed Frost of the Riverhead Town Police Department. "Together, we remain committed to our shared goal of holding accountable those who peddle poison in our community and threaten the safety and well-being of our residents."

"The indictment against Robert Love and his family-run drug trafficking operation is the result of the relentless efforts by DEA New York and our law enforcement partners in targeting those responsible for poisoning our communities with narcotics," said New York Special Agent in Charge Frank Tarentino of the DEA. "This investigation, which resulted in the seizure of cocaine, illegal firearms, as well as other illicit narcotics, has significantly disrupted a source of violence and harm posed to Long Island’s East End. The DEA remains committed to making sureour communities are safe."

"The Freeport Police Department wants to thank all our law enforcement partners," said Deputy Chief Donnie Ethier of the Freeport Police Department. "This successful multi jurisdiction collaboration is one of the tools used to accomplish our crime reduction mission in the Village of Freeport."