Two alleged drug dealers have been arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into a spate of fatal overdoses on the East End, Suffolk County authorities said Thursday.
Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy Sini said Lavain Creighton, 51, of Greenport, sold what police believe was fentanyl-laced cocaine on Aug. 13 to two victims who later died. Sini said authorities were able to link Creighton with the fatal overdose victims through text messages and geographical location data.
Sini said Justin Smith, 46, of Smithtown, was Creighton’s alleged supplier, though he said Smith’s role in any of the fatal overdoses was still under investigation.
Authorities have said that six people have died as a result of overdoses of what police believe was the powerful opioid fentanyl in cocaine on the North Fork and on Shelter Island between Aug. 5 and 13.
Sini said authorities "moved swiftly" to arrest Smith and Creighton and extinguish a "public health threat." Sini said investigators are examining whether Creighton may be linked to two other overdose deaths and urged anyone who purchased drugs from the two defendants in recent weeks to contact police.
"Our message is clear," said Sini. "If you are selling drugs in Suffolk County and you kill someone, we will hold you accountable for the death and destruction you have caused."
Sini, as well as State Sens. Todd Kamisky (D-Long Beach), Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) and Assemb. Judy Griffin (D-Rockville Centre) and Jodi Giglio (R-Riverhead), who have co-sponsored state legislation calling for a "death by dealer" statute, renewed calls Thursday for a vote on the proposal that would allow prosecutors to press murder charges against a drug dealer accused of selling to a fatal overdose victim.
