MINEOLA, NY - The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced last week that the agency had arrested six individuals and seized 47 firearms in connection with a 14-month-long joint investigation led by the Nassau County District Attorney’s (NCDA) Firearms Suppression and Intelligence Unit. Other agencies supporting the effort included the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the DEA's New York Enforcement Division, Long Island District Office Task Force.
“The arrests of these six individuals and the seizure of 47 firearms, cocaine, and heroin, serve as a stark reminder of the dangers law enforcement officials face while targeting those who fuel drug-related violence in our communities,” said DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “Every firearm recovered represents one less weapon that can be used to intimidate, injure, or kill. The DEA and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to targeting violent criminals that profit from violence and drug trafficking, and protecting the communities of Long Island.”
Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said that some of the recovered firearms had been tied to crimes in other jurisdictions.
“Since taking office, combating gun violence has been a top priority,” Donnelly said. “I created the Firearms Suppression and Intelligence Unit to target those responsible for bringing illegal guns into our communities. 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 Police Commissioner Patrick J. Ryder said criminals who are thinking of bringing guns and drugs into the county “better think again.”
“With the full support of our County Executive Bruce Blakeman, our Detectives went after these criminals and now they will have to answer for their crimes. Nassau County will remain the safest county in America, thanks to the hard work of the men and women in the Nassau County Police Department.”
ATF New York Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo said the joint operation shows the strength of partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and a shared commitment to protecting the public.
I want to commend the brave undercover personnel and the dedicated men and women from our local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies who worked tirelessly to dismantle this firearms trafficking operation,” DiGirolamo said. He noted that disrupting the sale of over 40 firearms prevented “dangerous weapons from reaching those who would use them to commit violent crimes.”
“ATF remains laser focused on identifying firearms traffickers, dismantling illegal trafficking networks, and protecting our communities by stopping gun violence before it occurs.”
Blakeman praised the joint task force, saying, “This was a takedown of historic proportions that will not only make Nassau County safer, but the whole region. This is a combination of using technology and good old-fashioned police work to solve these crimes that are being committed on a daily basis here in our region.”
Those arrested are:
Robert Petgrave, 30, arraigned on one count of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree;
Andrew Petgrave, 36, arraigned on charges including Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree and two counts of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Third Degree;
Jamari Jamaal Purrier, 34, arraigned on a charge of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree;
Raeem Smith, 23, arraigned on charges including Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree;
Clayton Solomon, 48, arraigned on one count of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree;
Shahede Folkes, 25, arraigned on one count of Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree.
The two Petgraves, Purrier, and Solomon were all held on $500,000 cash/$1 million bond/$2.5 million partially secured bond. Folkes was released to pretrial services with electronic monitoring. No bond information was available on Smith. All the defendants pleaded not guilty and have scheduled court appearances on July 21.
The operation commenced in April, 2025. NCDA, working alongside ATF, DEA, and the Nassau County Police Department, began a probe of firearms and narcotics trafficking and suspected gang-related activities of the defendants.
DA Donnelly said that the investigation showed that the defendants allegedly obtained the firearms from out of state, including Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia, and trafficked them into Valley Stream and Queens.
The undercover operation specifically targeted the Petgraves, who obtained illegal firearms from Smith and other sources, then sold the illicit firearms to undercover law enforcement officers on eight separate occasions.
The release said that Folkes and Solomon were allegedly present at the time of some of the illegal gun transactions, the news release noted.
On numerous occasions, Purrier and Andrew Petgrave sold heroin and cocaine to undercover officers in 13 separate transactions. Those transactions occurred throughout Valley Stream, Hempstead, and Queens.
Along with the 47 illegal handguns, law enforcement officials recovered approximately 900 grams of cocaine and 150 grams of heroin.
All the suspects were arrested on July 16, 2026.
The DEA praised the NCPD, ATF, the Suffolk County Police Department, the New York City Police Department, and the U.S. Secret Service for assisting in the investigation.
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