Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a Valley Stream man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a wide-ranging narcotics trafficking operation on the South Shore of Nassau County involving large quantities of drugs and firearms.
Christopher Corley, 47, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2024, before Judge Meryl Berkowitz to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree (an A-II felony); Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree (an A-II felony); and Conspiracy in the Second Degree (a B felony).
He was sentenced on Monday to 10 years in prison and five years post release supervision.
“Christopher Corley was the ringleader of a sophisticated narcotic tracking operation that sold dangerous, illegal drugs like cocaine, crack, and fentanyl along our South Shore. The defendant possessed nearly half a kilogram of fentanyl during a search warrant executed last year,” said DA Donnelly. “Fentanyl remains among the most concerning drugs for law enforcement. Its lethal potency in even the smallest doses and its use as a cutting agent for traditional drugs have led to thousands of preventable overdose deaths across our region. I thank our partners at the DEA and its Long Island Task Force for their tremendous work breaking up this illicit operation and for helping us keep our communities safe.”
DA Donnelly said that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Long Island District Office Task Force and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office began an extensive nine-month investigation after receiving information in October 2022 about a narcotic trafficking operation being run by defendant Christopher Corley.
After conducting months of surveillance across several locations in Nassau County used to support the narcotics operation, in March 2023 the NCDA applied for electronic eavesdropping warrants to identify the conspirators.
Recordings of wiretapped phone calls and other surveillance revealed Corley and co-defendants discussed making crack/cocaine, chopping up drugs, packaging the narcotics, and making multiple deliveries of drugs, including fentanyl in Nassau County.
The investigation led to several addresses, including 25 North Montgomery Street in Valley Stream, 945 Derrick Adkins Lane in West Hempstead, 780 Adams Street in Baldwin, and 14 Azalea Court in Long Beach.
During the execution of search warrants on June 13, 2023, at Corley’s home at 25 North Montgomery Street, a narcotics kilogram press used to make bricks of cocaine was recovered with powder still in the machine along with various stamps with symbols including a Yinyang and a “Transformers” head.
A trap disguised as an older model microwave was also recovered and contained nearly three kilograms of cocaine and 430 grams – nearly half a kilogram – of fentanyl.
It is alleged that the narcotics were being sold in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
In total, search warrants executed on June 13, 2023, recovered:
- More than 3.9 kilograms of cocaine – approximately 8.5 pounds
- Nearly half a kilogram of fentanyl
- More than 24 grams of crack/cocaine
- Seven firearms, including a so-called ghost gun and an assault weapon
- Four large-capacity magazines
- More than 23 grams of alprazolam
- Approximately 4.2 grams of oxycodone
- Two kilogram presses
Co-defendant Christopher Lasane Jr., 27, of Long Beach, pleaded guilty on April 16, 2024, to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree and is expected to receive one to three years in prison when he is sentenced on July 31, 2024.
Co-defendant Thomas Keyes, 36, of Long Beach, pleaded guilty on March 27, 2024, to Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and is expected to receive five years in prison and three years post release supervision when he is sentenced on July 17, 2024.
Co-defendant Clifford Nealy, 47, of West Hempstead, pleaded guilty on April 4, 2024, to Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree and is expected to receive 2-1/2 years in prison and three years post release supervision when he is sentenced on June 25, 2024.
Cases against defendants James Anthony Alexander, Janeathea Nealy, Christopher Lasane Sr. and Keya Evans are pending.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Long Island District Office Task Force is comprised of officers from several partner agencies, including the Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County District Attorney Detective Investigators, the Suffolk County Police Department, New York State Police, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, New York City Police Department, and the Freeport Police Department.
DA Donnelly thanks the DEA and this coalition of agencies for their partnership in the investigation and prosecution of this case.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Paula Cajdler of the Narcotics, Firearms & Gangs Bureau. Corley is represented by Joseph Lo Piccolo, Esq. Alexander is represented by Mindy Plotkin, Esq. Janeathea Nealy is represented by Nipun Marwaha, Esq. Clifford Nealy is represented by Melvin Roth, Esq. Thomas Keyes is represented by Robert Schalk, Esq.
The charges against Alexander, Janeathea Nealy, Christopher Lasane Sr. and Keya Evans are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.
