Christopher Corley, of Valley Stream, sentenced to 10 years for role in drug ring

A Valley Stream man who pleaded guilty to drug dealing in April in a wide-ranging investigation was sentenced to 10 years in prison Friday in Nassau County Court.

Prosecutors and federal drug agents say they tracked Christopher Corley, 47, for nine months using wiretaps and surveillance as he and 12 co-defendants sold cocaine, crack and fentanyl along the South Shore of Nassau County.

The case drew widespread attention because a Malverne High School football coach was caught up in the investigation, although he was later cleared.

Investigators, based on a tip they received in 2022, followed Corley and listened in on his phone calls as he discussed processing, packaging and delivering the drugs with the members of his crew.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided homes in Valley Stream, Baldwin, West Hempstead and Long Beach.

At Corley’s North Montgomery Street address, they found 3 kilograms of cocaine and 430 grams — nearly half a kilogram — of fentanyl in a trap disguised as an older-model microwave at Corley's house, they said.

Authorities said they also found a kilogram press used to make bricks of cocaine still covered in white powder.

Corley pleaded guilty on April 16 to second-degree criminal drug possession, second-degree drug dealing and conspiracy in the second degree. His lawyer, Joseph Lo Piccolo, could not be reached for comment.

“Christopher Corley was the ringleader of a sophisticated narcotic tracking operation that sold dangerous, illegal drugs like cocaine, crack and fentanyl along our South Shore. The defendant possessed nearly half a kilogram of fentanyl during a search warrant executed last year,” Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said.

Three others — Clifford Nealy, 47, of West Hempstead; and Christopher Lasane, 27, and Thomas Keyes, 36, both of Long Beach — charged in the drug conspiracy pleaded guilty in March and April and are scheduled to be sentenced in July.

The raids shocked the Malverne High School community when head coach Kito Lockwood was arrested at one of the residences and charged with multiple weapons charges.

Lockwood had been at the home to watch the NBA Finals and decided to spend the night after drinking too much, his lawyer, Fred Brewington, said. The coach woke to DEA agents coming through the door.

Prosecutors charged him with illegal gun possession, but the case was eventually dropped when further investigation revealed that another defendant had control of the guns.

“I’m very relieved that it’s over with,” he told Newsday in January after being cleared. “Now, I can move on and do the things that I would normally be doing without this weighted burden on my shoulders.”