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Two young women from Harrison and Mamaroneck assisted in the heroin sales locally, police allege.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the victims may have snorted or injected tainted heroin, which resulted in or contributed to their deaths, Harrison police said on Tuesday.
Heroin, a highly addictive opioid used recreationally for its euphoric effects, is commonly packaged in a small glassine envelopes. The envelopes are usually marked with a unique stamp, indicating the “brand” or supplier. Small amounts of heroin with the same identifying stamp were determined to be at both crime scenes, police said.
On Monday, Harrison police detectives concluded their intensive investigation with the arrests of six people.
On Friday, Rachael Brissett, 17, of Harrison and Alexandra DeRose, 22, of Mamaroneck were arrested for their role in the drug sales and subsequent overdoses, police said. Brissett was charged with felony third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance for providing one of the victims with heroin. She is being held at Westchester County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail.
Derose was charged with felony third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor. She was being held at Westchester County Jail in lieu of $40,000 bail.
Harrison Police investigators subsequently developed a case against Jeffrey “Flee” McCaskill, 27, of 1661 Topping Ave. Apt. 2C, in the Bronx, who police described as "a prominent Bronx dealer who supplies drugs to local area residents." McCaskill is believed to be the primary drug dealer involved with distributing the heroin which resulted in the two deaths, Harrison police said in a news release.
On Sunday, police investigators observed McCaskill in a grey Dodge Caravan conducting a drug transaction on Halstead Avenue in Harrison. Harrison Police investigators apprehended McCaskill and three other occupants in the vehicle: Diamond Samuels, 32, Deshaun Hardaway, 27, and Justice Sabina, 33, all from the Bronx.
Harrison Police investigators discovered heroin in the suspect’s vehicle packaged with the same unique stamp found with the two deceased victims, along with drug paraphernalia, cash and a heroin stamp. Intelligence information obtained by investigators reveal that McCaskill may have had prior knowledge that the batch of heroin he was selling was linked to prior deaths.
Harrison Police, with the assistance of the other law enforcement agencies, executed a search warrant at McCaskill’s home in the Bronx and recovered vast amounts of drugs with a street value of approximately $10,000, drug paraphernalia, cash and forged U.S. currency.
McCaskill was charged with felony third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and is being held at Westchester County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Hardaway was charged with felony third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and is being held at Westchester County Jail in lieu of $500,000 bail.
Sabina was charged with felony third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and is being held at Westchester County Jail in lieu of $75,000 bail.
Samuels was charged with felony third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell and is being held at Westchester County Jail in lieu of $75,000
Harrison Police are continuing the investigation and are anticipating further charges and arrests.
Some of the suspects may be held responsible for the deaths of the two victims and could be charged at a later date, police said.
Harrison Police Chief Anthony Marraccini states he will continue in the efforts to combat the heroin epidemic and will prosecute the drug dealers to the fullest extent of the law.
Police Chief Marraccini urged readers to contact the Harrison Police Department at 914-967-5111, with any suspected drug activity in their neighborhoods to prevent any further tragedies from occurring. All calls are kept confidential, he said.
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