Nassau police: Fatal OD probe leads to two arrests

An investigation into a fatal overdose case led to the arrest Thursday of two Suffolk County men on drug charges, police said.

Tariq Williams, 34, of Penndale Drive, Amityville, and Kennyatta Johnson, 28, of Heston Road, Shirley, were arrested after Williams offered to sell heroin “to another” in Laurel Hollow, Nassau County police said.

Williams was charged with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, while Johnson was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Both men were scheduled for arraignment Friday in First District Court in Hempstead, police said.

Police did not provide details of the original fatal overdose case, except to say the 31-year-old victim died in June.

Police said a subsequent investigation by Narcotic Vice Squad detectives and Bureau of Special Operations officers then led them to Williams.

Williams was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Johnson when the heroin sale offer was made Thursday, police said. A search of the vehicle then led officers to recover 12 bags of a powder believed to be heroin, two pieces of a Xanax pill and a plastic bag believed to contain cocaine and another containing marijuana, police said.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”