Six men have been arrested and charged in what Nassau County officials are calling one of the largest gun and drug trafficking takedowns in the county's history. The 14-month investigation, involving multiple law enforcement agencies, resulted in the seizure of 47 illegal handguns and more than one kilogram of cocaine and heroin. The narcotics and firearms were allegedly being distributed on Long Island and in Queens.
Assisting in the investigation were the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Suffolk County Police Department, and the U.S. Secret Service.
"Thanks to this outstanding joint investigation, these guns and drugs will never reach the hands of criminals who try to terrorize our neighborhoods," Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said. "For five years, we have made clear that gun traffickers in Nassau County will face the consequences, and we are not slowing down."
Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman described the bust as a mix of "technology and good old-fashioned police work."
The defendants, identified as Robert Petgrave, 30; Andrew Petgrave, 36; Jamari Jamaal Purrier, 34; Raeem Smith, 23; Clayton Solomon, 48; and Shahede Folkes, 25, allegedly sourced firearms from out of state, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia, and trafficked them into areas such as Valley Stream, Hempstead, and Queens.
Undercover investigators made multiple purchases during the probe, successfully buying handguns eight times and drugs 13 times, according to the District Attorney's office.
Robert and Andrew Petgrave were specifically targeted and allegedly obtained illegal firearms from Smith and other sources before selling them to undercover officers. Folkes and Solomon were reportedly present during some of these transactions. Purrier and Andrew Petgrave allegedly sold heroin and cocaine to undercover officers on 13 separate occasions.
The investigation commenced in April 2025. All six defendants were arrested on Thursday by the Nassau County Police Department’s Gang Investigation Squad and arraigned on Friday.
All six men have pleaded not guilty. Robert Petgrave, Andrew Petgrave, and Purrier were each issued $500,000 cash bail or $1 million bond and ordered to surrender their passports. Solomon's bail was set at $250,000 cash. Smith was remanded without bail, while Folkes was released to pretrial services with electronic monitoring.
Potential penalties vary by charge. Robert Petgrave, Smith, and Solomon each face up to 25 years in prison for first-degree weapon sales. Andrew Petgrave and Purrier face up to 20 years for top-level drug felonies, and Folkes faces up to four years for conspiracy.
The defendants are scheduled to return to court on July 21.