EIGHT DEFENDANTS INDICTED ON DRUG, WEAPONS, AND CONSPIRACY CHARGES

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced a 65-count indictment of KELVIN CORONA, NAESEAN CRAWFORD, CHRISTALIA BONILLA, DWIGHT DIAZ, KYRA MCLAUGHLIN, DAVID DAMORE, ALYSSA TAVERNA, and ALEX DE LOS SANTOS for charges including weapons possession, conspiracy to distribute narcotics, and the planning of a residential burglary.

“These defendants left no stone unturned in pursuit of their unlawful activities in Suffolk County as alleged in this indictment,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Not only did they distribute deadly narcotics such as fentanyl, they also unlawfully possessed illegal weapons and even plotted to commit a home invasion robbery. I thank our law enforcement partners for helping us to thwart this plot.”

According to the investigation, in 2022, the Suffolk County Police Department, working with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), received information that KELVIN CORONA, 41, of Mastic, was allegedly selling cocaine and fentanyl. Law enforcement subsequently obtained those drugs from CORONA on seven separate occasions. On three of those dates, CORONA sold more than one-half ounce of cocaine and/or fentanyl.

As the investigation unfolded, law enforcement determined that CRAWFORD, 26, of Islip, was allegedly supplying CORONA with the narcotics. CORONA would then allegedly provide DIAZ, MCLAUGHLIN, DAMORE, and TAVERNA with drugs to sell on the street. One such sale resulted in the fatal overdose of a 35-year-old female Suffolk County resident who was found unresponsive by a friend at a home in Nassau County in February 2023. Law enforcement found purple fentanyl and a crack pipe in the room where the victim was found. Preliminary toxicology results from the Nassau County Medical Examiner's Office revealed the presence of fentanyl and cocaine in the victim’s system. CORONA and DAMORE are charged with the sale that led to the fatal overdose.

Law enforcement further learned that CORONA, DIAZ, and MCLAUGHLIN were allegedly involved in a plan to burglarize the residence of a known associate they believed was in possession of a large amount of cash. The trio, however, were unaware of the location of the associates’ residence. As a result, CORONA obtained a GPS tracker that he intended to place under the vehicle of the unsuspecting associate to locate his residence. The defendants then allegedly developed a plan to lure the victim to a mutual location under the false pretense of purchasing a motorbike from him. Once he arrived, the strategy was to place the GPS under the associate’s vehicle so they could obtain the address from the data transmitted from the device. Afterwards, the group intended to unlawfully enter his residence and steal his money. Members of law enforcement were also made aware that CORONA intended to commit the burglary with a firearm.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office tracked CORONA’s purchased GPS tracker in real time. On March 31, 2023, the Suffolk County Police Department intervened to prevent the burglary from taking place, and the activated GPS tracker was found in CORONA’s Nissan Altima before it had been placed on the associate’s vehicle.

Prosecutors executed multiple search warrants at residences in Islip, Mastic, and Mastic Beach. Among the items seized during the warrant executions were multiple illegal weapons, including assault weapons and handguns, large-capacity ammunition magazines, 9mm ammunition, cocaine, a money counter, a drug press, cutting agents, scales, packaging material used for the distribution of narcotics, multiple cell phones, and over $4,000 in cash.

CORONA was indicted for a total of 43 counts which include:

• Three counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, a Class A-II felony;
• Twelve counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B felony;
• Eighteen counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B felony;
• Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony;
• Three counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree, a Class C felony;
• Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony;
• Two counts of Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree, a Class A misdemeanor;   
• Two counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree, a Class A misdemeanor; and
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, a Class A misdemeanor.  

CRAWFORD, and BONILLA, 22, of Islip, were each indicted for:

• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B felony;
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree a Class C felony,
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a Class D felony;
• Criminal Possession of a Firearm, a Class E felony; and
• Criminally Using Paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor.

CRAWFORD is additionally charged with Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony.

MCLAUGHLIN, 28, of Mastic Beach, was indicted for:

• Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in Third Degree, a Class B felony;  
• Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B felony;  
• Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony; and
• Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony.

DAMORE, 39, of Shirley, was indicted for:

• Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony.
• Four counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B felony; and
• Two counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a Class B felony.  

TAVERNA, 30, of Shirley, was indicted for Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony.

DIAZ, 41, of Port Jefferson Station, was indicted for:

• Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a Class B felony; and
• Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony.

DE LOS SANTOS, 49, of Mastic Beach, was indicted for:

• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a Class C violent felony;
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a Class D felony; and
• Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree a Class A misdemeanor.

On May 1, 2023, DE LOS SANTOS was arraigned in the indictment by Acting Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Steven A. Pilewski, and was released with conditions including GPS monitoring and a surrender of his passport. DE LOS SANTOS is due back in court on May 25, 2023, and is being represented by William Keahon, Esq.

On May 4, 2023, CORONA, CRAWFORD, DAMORE, DIAZ, McLAUGHLIN, and TAVERNA were arraigned on the indictment by Judge Pilewski.

CORONA was held on $1 million cash, $2 million bond or $10 million partially secured bond. CORONA is due back in court on May 25, 2023, and is being represented by William Keahon, Esq.

CRAWFORD was released on a $200,000 bond with additional conditions including GPS monitoring and a surrender of his passport. CRAWFORD is due back in court on June 6, 2023 and is being represented by John Loturco, Esq.

DIAZ was ineligible for cash bail and was released with conditions including GPS monitoring and a surrender of his passport. DIAZ is due back in court on June 8, 2023, and is being represented by Toni Marie Angeli, Esq.

DAMORE was held on $100,000 cash, $250,000 bond or $1 million partially secured bond. DAMORE is due back in court on May 24, 2023, and is being represented by Michael Elbert, Esq.

McLAUGHLIN was ineligible for cash bail and was released with conditions including GPS monitoring and a surrender of her passport. MCLAUGHLIN is due back in court on May 25, 2023 and is being represented by William Keahon, Esq.

TAVERNA was ineligible for cash bail and was released with conditions including GPS monitoring and a surrender of her passport. TAVERNA is due back in court on June 6, 2023, and is being represented by Pete Mayer, Esq.

On May 5, 2023, BONILLA was arraigned on the indictment by Judge Pilewski, and was released on ​$100,000 bond with additional conditions including GPS monitoring and a surrender of her passport. BONILLA is due back in court on June 6, 2023, and is being represented by Robert Macedonio, Esq.

This case was investigated by Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office Detective Investigators, the Suffolk County Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Dana Gremaux and Jennifer Wickers of the Narcotics Bureau.

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Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments.

Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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