Eight people have been indicted for allegedly operating an illegal narcotics and mail order scheme, in which they allegedly used the United States Postal Service to ship cocaine from Puerto Rico to Long Island.
“As alleged, the defendants used the U.S. Postal Service mail system to run a multimillion-dollar drug operation on Long Island,” said HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Ivan J.Arvelo. “We are proud of our partnership with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General and the Suffolk County Police Department in our ongoing efforts to keep criminal organizations from furthering their illicit enterprises by utilizing important government institutions, such as the U.S. mail.”
Between March 2022 and June 2023, Eleomar Perez-Serrano, 33, of Westbury, would allegedly receive multiple parcels believed to contain cocaine every few weeks. When his predecessor was killed in Puerto Rico in March 2023, Perez-Serrano allegedly took control of the operation and oversaw the coordination of cocaine parcel shipments to Suffolk County and his apartment in Nassau County where he lived with Maria Nieves, 28. After receiving the cocaine, his co-conspirators would work together to distribute the drugs across Suffolk County.
On June 6, 2023, law enforcement executed multiple search warrants, which resulted in numerous arrests and the discovery of illegal activity.
At Perez-Serrano and Nieves’ apartment, members of law enforcement allegedly recovered two-kilogram bricks of cocaine, one of which was found unsecured beneath a sink, and the other was found in a box beneath a child’s crib. They also allegedly recovered numerous bags containing cocaine and crack cocaine that were packaged for sale, eight cellular telephones, including the ones used to procure and distribute cocaine, three digital scales used to weigh drugs, a money counter, materials used
to package drugs for sale, and approximately $25,000 in cash.
At the residence of Brian Ruiz-Chaparro, 34, in Huntington Station, law enforcement allegedly recovered four ounces of cocaine, two cellular telephones, a digital scale and materials used to package drugs for sale. It is alleged that Ruiz-Chaparro received a parcel containing cocaine and worked to further the enterprise by engaging in narcotics distribution and allowing Perez-Serrano to use his vehicle to distribute cocaine around Suffolk County.
Police also went to the residence of Samuel Rodriguez, 54, in Bay Shore, where they allegedly uncovered a cell phone that Rodriguez used to further procure cocaine. Over $9,000 in cash, and a digital scale were also recovered. It is alleged that Rodriguez purchased large quantities of cocaine from Perez-Serrano in order to re-sell it.
During the investigation, Perez-Serrano and Carlos Vazquez, 52, of Huntington, allegedly discussed making at least $2,000 in daily profits from street-level sales of cocaine in Suffolk County. This would amount to a total profit of $250,000 during the time of the scheme. Perez-Serrano also allegedly sold cocaine to others for them to re-sell, which resulted in even more profits.
After executing the search warrants, the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General was notified that two additional parcels of cocaine were in transit from Puerto Rico to locations that were allegedly previously used by Perez-Serrano. One of them was destined to the residence of Linda Whalen, 57, in Huntington Station and another was destined to Perez-Serrano and Nieves’ apartment. Each parcel was subsequently seized and searched, and were found to contain approximately 35 ounces of cocaine —two kilograms in total— that were concealed within pool float boxes.
“The Postal Inspection Service continues to dismantle drug trafficking organizations and keep them from using the Postal Service to distribute illicit drugs and endangering the safety of our communities,” said USPIS New York Division Inspector in Charge Daniel Brubaker. “Postal inspectors will stop at nothing until all targets are brought to justice.”
All those involved have been charged for their alleged roles in the scheme.
Perez Serrano has been charged with operating as a major drug trafficker, operating as a major drug trafficker acting as a director, two counts of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of first-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, six counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, two counts of third-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and two counts of second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia. On July 17, 2023, he was arraigned on the indictment before Supreme Court Justice Anthony S. Senft Jr. Perez Serrano was ordered to be held on $1.5 million cash, $3 million bond or $15 million partially secured bond during the pendency of the case. He is due back in court on August 15, 2023.
Nieves was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, six counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and two counts of criminal use of drug paraphernalia. She is scheduled to be arraigned before Judge Senft on July 25, 2023.
Vazquez has been charged with second-degree conspiracy and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He is scheduled to be arraigned before Judge Senft on August 2, 2023.
Ruiz-Chapparro was charged with second-degree conspiracy, second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and two counts of criminal use of drug paraphernalia. He is scheduled to be arraigned before Judge Senft on July 25, 2023.
Whalen has been charged with first-degree attempted criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-degree conspiracy. She is scheduled to be arraigned before Judge Senft on July 25, 2023.
Defendants Lynn Chodkowski, 61, of Huntington and Omar Lopez-Perez, 38, of Huntington Station, have both been charged with second-degree conspiracy. They are both scheduled to be arraigned before Judge Senft on July 25, 2023.
Rodriguez was charged with second-degree conspiracy and second-degree criminal use of drug paraphernalia. He is scheduled to be arraigned before Judge Senft on July 25, 2023.
“These defendants allegedly used the United States Postal Service to ship numerous parcels
containing cocaine from Puerto Rico to locations in both Suffolk County and Nassau County,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney. “While these alleged peddlers of dangerous and illegal drugs were creative in their attempts to violate the law, thanks to our law enforcement partnerships, we unraveled the scheme. Drug dealers should be on notice; we will find you and bring you to justice.”