A Holbrook couple was indicted for allegedly running a narcotics distribution operation out of their home.
On July 11, a Suffolk County Police detective, acting in an undercover capacity, contacted Jessica Medina-Rivas and arranged to meet with her to purchase a quantity of cocaine. Medina-Rivas arrived at the meeting location operating a gray 2018 Honda Accord. She entered the undercover officer’s vehicle and allegedly sold the officer approximately two grams of cocaine. During the transaction, Medina-Rivas allegedly advised the undercover officer that she could get “anything,” which officers inferred to mean that she had access to larger quantities of narcotics and a wide variety of illicit substances.
On July 15 and July 29, the undercover officer contacted Medina-Rivas and arranged to meet with her to purchase a larger quantity of cocaine based on the comment she made during the previous transaction. On both dates, Medina-Rivas arrived at the meeting location as a passenger in a 2017 Ford Explorer, exited the Explorer, and entered the undercover officer’s vehicle, where she allegedly sold the officer over one-half ounce of cocaine. On the latter occasion, officers were able to observe and identify co-defendant Caleb Moran as the individual operating the Explorer.
The 2017 Ford Explorer was previously owned and used by the Southampton Town Police Department. It was sold to Moran at a police auction on January 22, 2024. Although the logos and decals that identified it as a police emergency vehicle were removed at the auction, it nevertheless appeared to be an unmarked police vehicle. The investigation revealed that the Explorer was allegedly used by Moran in the course of his alleged drug transactions in the false hope that the vehicle would obscure his illegal activities from law enforcement.
On August 8, the undercover officer contacted Medina-Rivas and arranged to meet with her to purchase an additional quantity of cocaine. Moran and Medina-Rivas arrived together at the location in the Ford Explorer, at which time the couple allegedly sold the undercover over three-and-a-half ounces of cocaine and provided the undercover a free sample of what they referred to as “food,” which is a street term commonly used among drug dealers and users of narcotics to refer to heroin or fentanyl.
After Moran allegedly inspected the drugs, he handed them to Medina-Rivas who allegedly handed them to the undercover officer. Medina-Rivas then allegedly advised the officer “to be careful,” warning that the substance was “strong.”
On August 20, Moran and Medina-Rivas again met with the undercover officer for the purpose of selling narcotics for redistribution. On that date, the couple allegedly sold the officer a knotted plastic bag containing a white powdery substance and a knotted plastic bag containing a tan, hard powdery substance. The bags allegedly contained over three and a half ounces of cocaine and .34 ounces of fentanyl, respectively. At the time of the sale, Moran allegedly advised the undercover officer not to sell the fentanyl “pure,” meaning the fentanyl should be “cut” or diluted prior to sale. Moran allegedly instructed the officer on how to dilute the fentanyl and further advised that multiple individuals had suffered accidental overdoses using the fentanyl, including one fatal incident.
On August 22, members of the Suffolk County Police Department executed a court-authorized search warrant at the Holbrook home of Moran and Medina-Rivas. Upon searching the residence, officers allegedly recovered 14 kilograms of cocaine, 12 kilograms of methamphetamine, over three ounces of fentanyl, pills containing methamphetamine and MDMA, two unregistered operable firearms, ammunition suitable for use in the shotgun, two bulletproof vests, dilutants and adulterants commonly used by drug dealers to “cut” the product including quinine hydrocholride, mannitol, mannite, lactose and dextrose powders. Officers also allegedly recovered multiple digital scales used to weigh quantities of narcotics, packaging material consistent with the large-scale sale of narcotics, a vacuum sealer used to seal kilograms, a pill press, blenders, multiple cellular telephones, a money counter, and approximately $118,000.
On September 22, Moran was arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins for the following charges:
- one count of Operating as a Major Trafficker, a Class A felony
- two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, both Class A felonies
- one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, a Class A felony
- two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, both Class B felonies
- ten counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, all Class B felonies
- one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree, a Class C felony
- one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, a Class D felony
- two counts of Criminal Possession of a Firearm, both Class E felonies
- one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a Class A misdemeanor
- two counts of Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree, both Class A misdemeanors
Collins ordered Moran held on $2 million cash, $8 million bond, or $20 million partially secured bond. His next court date is October 28.
On September 22, Medina-Rivas was arraigned on the indictment before Justice Collins for the following charges:
- one count of Operating as a Major Trafficker, a Class A felony
- two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, both Class A felonies
- two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, both Class A felonies
- one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, a Class A felony
- three counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, Class B felonies
- 13 counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, all Class B felonies
- one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree, a Class C felony
- one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree, a Class D felony
- two counts of Criminal Possession of a Firearm, both Class E felonies
- one count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a Class A misdemeanor
- two counts of Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree, both Class A misdemeanors
Collins ordered Medina-Rivas held on $2 million cash, $4 million bond, or $20 million partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. Her next court date is October 27.
“This wasn’t just a drug bust. It was a ticking time bomb sitting in the middle of a quiet neighborhood,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “These two defendants were allegedly operating a dangerous drug trafficking operation out of their home that pushed deadly substances into our communities.”
“The scale of this alleged operation is almost incomprehensible; two million dollars in product is among the largest seizures in Suffolk history,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said. “We allege that this pair knew exactly how serious their crimes were, attempting to operate covertly in a look-alike police vehicle and warning buyers of their product’s potency. I thank all the investigators involved for their diligence during this undercover operation that no doubt saved countless lives.”