Holbrook man facing charges related to alleged drug trafficking

A Holbrook man who allegedly used two apartments for trafficking narcotics has been indicted on related criminal drug charges.

Dontel Wills, 35, allegedly possessed cocaine and "enough fentanyl to kill nearly 55,000 people," Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said in a news release Monday announcing the indictment.

On July 18, Suffolk police officers executed a search warrant at Wills’ Holbrook residence plus his alleged "stash house" for storing and packaging illegal substances, also in Holbrook, the release from Tierney’s office said.

At the alleged stash house, Suffolk police recovered more than a kilogram of cocaine and more than 4 ounces of fentanyl, according to the district attorney. Officers also discovered "drug paraphernalia used to store, manufacture and distribute narcotics, such as a 6-foot hydraulic kilo press, packaging material, scales, a strainer, a mixer, measuring cups, latex gloves, masks, and cutting agents," Tieney said.

The district attorney’s release did not state whether Wills was an owner or lessee of the apartment where drugs were allegedly found.

During the search of Wills’ home, Suffolk police allegedly found a loaded and functioning 9-mm semiautomatic pistol, multiple cellphones and about $9,000 in cash.

Wills allegedly ran a "drug trafficking" operation, which Tierney described as "a deadly threat to public safety."

On Monday, Wills pleaded not guilty before State Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei to first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and three counts of criminally using drug paraphernalia, according to court records.

The judge ordered Wills held on $250,000 cash, $500,000 bond or $5,000,000 partially secured bond as his criminal case continues, Tierney said. Wills is scheduled to return to court Sept. 10 and faces 24 years imprisonment if he is convicted on the top charge.

Christopher Gioe, the defense attorney representing Wills, did not immediately return a telephone message left at his Hauppauge office Monday afternoon.