A Lynbrook woman was found dead last week at the Capri Lynbrook Motor Inn of a heroin overdose, and a subsequent investigation led to the arrest of her alleged dealers.
Lynbrook police officers responded to the motel, at 5 Freer Street, on May 3 at 6:57 a.m. When they arrived, they found the unidentified woman’s body and determined that she had overdosed. After an investigation, Lynbrook detectives worked with the Nassau County Police Department’s Narcotics Bureau to track down and arrest John Funches, of Hempstead, and Barshawn Potter, of Westbury. They were charged with selling her heroin.
According to Lynbrook police, officers from the LPD and the NCPD arranged to purchase heroin from Funches and Potter at the motel, where they arrested them for sale of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance. Potter was also charged with criminal facilitation for driving Funches to the motel. The officers recovered heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine from Funches.
“The Lynbrook Police Department has a zero-tolerance policy toward the use and sale of all types of illegal drugs in Lynbrook,” LPD Chief Joseph Neve said in a release. Neve added that in 2017, 15 people were arrested for the sale of drugs, 62 people for the possession of an illegal substance and 75 for possession of marijuana.
The Capri Lynbrook Motor Inn has been accused of being a longtime neighborhood nuisance by Lynbrook residents and elected officials. Last spring, former Mayor William Hendrick formed a committee to evaluate whether the motel’s seven owners should have their room-rental licenses revoked amid arrests for drugs and prostitution at the property.