Derrick Dyer, of Glen Cove, arrested for drug trafficking

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Glen Cove police arrested 29-year-old Derrick Dyer following an eight-month investigation that led to an alleged drug trafficking operation. The joint investigation between the Glen Cove Police Crime Prevention Unit, DEA Task Force and Nassau Narcotics Unit resulted in the Feb. 10 arrest of Dyer on Glen Cove Avenue. Glen Cove detectives Christopher Paolillo and Brain Glennon, along with members of the DEA task Force made the arrest.

Police say Dyer was also in possession of an undisclosed quantity of cocaine and illegal pills. He was charged with additional drug charges and authorities have also accused him of multiple drug sales.

The investigation began with a near fatal overdose that occurred in Glen Cove last May. Glen Cove Police Lt. John Nagle said they received leads to Dyer through cell phone records and other ways linking him to the original sale of drugs.

Undercover police conducted three drug buys with Dyer. Each time, they say he sold them pills that were laced with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Fentanyl is a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States.

According to the CDC, the number of drug overdose deaths has increased by nearly 30 percent from 2019 to 2020 and has quintupled since 1999. Nearly 75 percent of the 91,799 drug overdose deaths in 2020 involved an opioid. From 2019 to 2020, there were significant changes in opioid-involved death rates.

A search of Dyer’s residence on Madison Avenue in Glen Cove uncovered an assault rifle, a loaded handgun, multiple high-capacity magazines, ammunition, a bulletproof vest, five pounds of marijuana, and over $6,000 in cash.

Dyer was charged with five counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, six counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, four counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of an assault weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, and criminal possession of cannabis.

Nagle said the collaboration between the Glen Cove Detective Division and the DEA Task Force successfully prevented the drugs from entering the community.

Dyer denies the charges. After making bail, he told News 12 Long Island that he feels as though he has been framed. Despite his claims, authorities say they have sufficient evidence for their case.

“If you're going to deal fentanyl and drugs, don't do it here in Glen Cove,” Nagle said.