Police: 'Good-size street dealers' face charges in overdose death

Two men who police call "good-size street dealers" face charges in connection with dealing drugs linked to the fatal overdose of a 38-year-old woman in Rockville Centre.

News 12 Staff

Jan 9, 2019, 10:27 PM

Updated 2,160 days ago

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Two men who police call "good-size street dealers" face charges in connection with dealing drugs linked to the fatal overdose of a 38-year-old woman in Rockville Centre.
Nassau police say David Gugel, of Floral Park, and Michael Thomas, of Elmont, were swept up as part of the department's war on drugs initiative known as Operation Natalie.
Police say the suspects were dealing drugs at the time of their arrests. They say packets of heroin, cocaine and pills were found on the suspects.
Gugel, according to police, had 50 envelopes of heroin on him that he marketed under the name "Hell Raiser."
News 12 is told that when Thomas was arrested on Concord Street in Rockville Centre, he was trying to sell drugs to someone there and had several bags of heroin and cocaine on him.
Police call these arrests a success in their war against drugs but that there's more work to be done.
"We got to keep our foot on the gas pedal to make sure that we make these arrests," says Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder.
The suspects face a slew of charges, including criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance. News 12 is told that the pair may also be charged with the woman's death.