Officers witness Centereach drug deal, charge two after pursuit, police say

A chance sighting by Suffolk County police officers of a Centereach drug deal Wednesday resulted in a pursuit involving a police helicopter and canine units and two men in custody, authorities said. 

Steve Jameau, 34, of Centereach, was charged with selling a controlled substance, criminal trespass and resisting arrest, police said. Anthony Corria, 33, of Shoreham, was charged with criminal mischief and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance. A police spokeswoman did not identify the substance. 

Police said Fourth Precinct Crime Section officers Nicholas Divaris and Thomas O’Brien saw the two men make the deal at 2:15 p.m. outside a North Howell Avenue home as Corria sat behind the wheel of a white 2007 Mercedes-Benz. The officers tried to stop the vehicle at Middle Country Road in Lake Grove, but said Corria, with Jameau as a passenger, drove away. The Mercedes intentionally struck the police vehicle at Ginger and Whispering Pines courts at 2:26 p.m., authorities said.    

Both men ran away but officers soon captured Corria, police said. A helicopter, canine units and Sixth Precinct officers joined the search for Jameau. Officers found him at 3 p.m., hiding in a Forrest Avenue garage, police said.

Corria and Jameau were arraigned Thursday at First District Court in Central Islip. Corria was held on $150,000 bond or $75,000 cash on the top charge of felony criminal mischief, according to online court records. His attorney, Christopher Gerard Kirby of Valley Stream, did not return a call for comment. Jameau also was held on $150,000 bond or $75,000 cash on the felony narcotic drug charge. He is represented by Legal Aid, which typically does not comment on pending cases.

By Nicholas Spangler

nicholas.spangler@newsday.comspanglernewsday

Nicholas Spangler is a general assignment reporter and has worked at Newsday since 2010.