Five people, including a Huntington Station man, have been indicted on charges that they attempted to smuggle fentanyl into the Suffolk County Jail, District Attorney Ray Tierney and Sheriff Errol Toulon Jr. said Thursday.
The five people were involved in trying to smuggle fentanyl-infused paperwork into the jail, using an unsuspecting defense attorney, law enforcement officials said.
“If these criminals were successful in their attempt to smuggle more than $20,000 of deadly fentanyl into the jail there is no doubt that tragedy would have followed,” Toulon said.
The five are: Jyzir Hamilton, Alyssa Brienza, Janiah Williams, Eric Freeman and Arnold Foster.
“This group not only allegedly attempted to smuggle deadly fentanyl into the Suffolk County Correctional Facility, but they also attempted to use an unsuspecting defense attorney to deliver it.
“Had any of the fentanyl from the laced sheets of paper been ingested in any way, through touch or otherwise, the results could have been deadly,” Tierney said. “Fortunately, the
Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office thwarted this alleged conspiracy before anyone was hurt.”
According to law enforcement, the smuggling attempt went like this:
On Aug. 22, deputy sheriff investigators received information from Suffolk County Correctional Facility correction officers that Hamilton, an inmate at the jail, was allegedly planning for Williams, his girlfriend, to deliver fentanyl-laced papers to him through his defense attorney, who allegedly had no knowledge of the plan.
Hamilton was incarcerated in Suffolk County for a number of pending criminal charges, including Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.
He then allegedly placed a series of calls to Brienza, allegedly asking her about obtaining fentanyl. She then allegedly spoke to Foster, who, at the time, was serving a prison sentence at the Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, for a conviction of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree. During his conversations with Brienza, Foster set the price for the fentanyl to be sold to Hamilton. Once Hamilton learned of the cost from Brienza, he then allegedly spoke to Williams, who was to arrange the delivery of the fentanyl to the Suffolk County Correctional Facility.
On Aug. 19, Brienza allegedly delivered four blank pages to Williams that were sprayed with a liquid laced with fentanyl. Hamilton then allegedly instructed Williams to
contact an attorney representing Freeman, who had informed his attorney that someone would be delivering legal documents to him. Freeman then asked his attorney to pass the
documents, delivered by Williams, to him.
On August 23, 2023, after contacting the attorney and advising him that she was on her way, Williams was then arrested by deputy sheriffs as she entered the Arthur M. Cromarty Court
Complex building in Riverhead. Deputy sheriffs allegedly found a manila envelope containing four pages with legal terms printed on them in her possession.
The four pages were submitted to the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory for testing. The laboratory analysis revealed fentanyl.
On Oct. 3, Brienza was arrested, and law enforcement allegedly found one-eighth ounce of cocaine, $1,130 in cash, and a scale inside her vehicle. Also, inside Brienza’s vehicle
was her 4-year-old child.
On Wednesday, at his arraignment on the indictment, Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro ordered Hamilton to be remanded during the pendency of his case, which is awaiting sentencing on previous charges of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree and
Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree. Hamilton’s charges under this indictment are not bail eligible. He is being represented by Jon Manley, Esq. His next court date is on Dec.
18.
Freeman is remanded without bail on charges pending before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz, including Attempted Rape in the First Degree. Freeman is a persistent eligible violent felony offender, which makes him eligible for bail on this indictment. On Wednesday at his arraignment on the indictment, Ambro ordered Freeman
held on $500,000 cash, $2 million bond or $5 million partially secured bond. Freeman is being
represented by John Halverson. His next court date is Dec. 18.
Brienza, Williams and Foster are scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 27, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Richard I. Horowitz.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Dennis Wouters of the Narcotics Bureau, with investigative assistance from the Criminal Investigation Bureau, Corrections
Intelligence Center, and Internal Security, all with the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office in addition to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
“This discovery of attempted drug trafficking could not have been made without the intelligence gleamed from our newly established Corrections Intelligence Center who were able to work with neighboring jurisdictions to get prudent information that aided the investigation and ultimately led to an arrest,” said Toulon. “This case is another stellar example of collaborative law enforcement and the partnership between the Sheriff’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office has once again stopped drugs from getting into the wrong hands.”
Hamilton, 35, of Hauppauge, was indicted for:
One count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony;
Two counts of Attempted Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third, Class
C felonies;
One count of Attempted Promoting Prison Contraband in the First Degree, a Class D felony;
One count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a Class
A misdemeanor; and
One count of Promoting Prison Contraband in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor.
Brienza, 30, of Calverton, was indicted for:
One count of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, a Class A felony;
One count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a class B felony;
Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third, Class B felonies;
One count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third, a Class B felony;
One count of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree, a Class C felony;
One count of Criminal Use of Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor; and
One count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a Class A misdemeanor.
Williams, 24, of Central Islip, was indicted for:
One count of Attempted Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, a Class A felony;
One count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony;
Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, Class B felonies; and
One count of Attempted Promoting Prison Contraband in the First Degree, a Class D felony.
Freeman, 48, of Huntington Station, was indicted for:
One count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony.
Foster 33, of Centereach, was indicted for:
One count of Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony.
The Suffolk County Correctional Facility monitors and records various types of communications initiated by inmates. The inmates at the Suffolk County correctional facilities are notified of the monitoring.