Malverne football coach Kito Lockwood indicted on weapons charges in connection with alleged narcotics ring, DA says
The 9-month investigation into the alleged drug trafficking in both Nassau and Suffolk counties began in October 2022, according to Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. Credit: Johnny Milano
The Malverne High School head football coach has been indicted on gun and weapons possession charges in connection with an alleged narcotics trafficking ring selling cocaine, crack and fentanyl on the South Shore, authorities said Thursday.
Kito Lockwood, 49, of West Hempstead pleaded not guilty Wednesday before Judge Meryl Berkowitz to three counts of criminal possession of a firearm and three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. Lockwood was released without bail to pretrial services.
In a statement Thursday, Malverne Superintendent Lorna R. Lewis said: “The individual is an employee of the district, as well as a coach. We are aware of the allegations, and do not have any comment at this time" because it's a personnel matter.
Lockwood was one of 12 people indicted after a 9-month investigation into alleged drug trafficking in both Nassau and Suffolk counties that began in October 2022 after authorities received information alleging 47-year-old Christopher Corley's involvement, Nassau prosecutors said.
Lockwood is not charged with any drug or conspiracy offenses.
Lockwood’s attorney Frederick Brewington said his client is a "role model" who was inadvertently caught up in the investigation, saying he slept at a friend’s house and awoke to a police raid. The gun charges against Lockwood were a result of firearms found in the friend’s home and the guns and weapons did not belong to Lockwood, Brewington said.
“He went to watch a basketball game at a friend’s house,” Brewington said. “He just happened to be in the house.... He had a couple of drinks, decided not to drive home, and then he woke up to a raid.”
Lockwood, who coached the team Thursday night in a game against Locust Valley, could not be reached for comment.
Lockwood is in his 15th year as the Malverne football head coach. He has led the Mules to the Nassau Conference IV playoffs six times.
He also starred for Malverne as a player. He was a Newsday All-Long Island defensive back/running back in his senior year, 1991, after he led the team to its last conference championship.
He graduated in 1992 and went on to a successful football career at Wagner College.
A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office declined comment on Lockwood.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Long Island District Office Task Force and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office conducted months of surveillance across several locations allegedly used for the drug trafficking, including in Valley Stream, West Hempstead, Baldwin and Long Beach.
Prosecutors said they have wiretapped phone calls of Corley, of Valley Stream, and some of his co-defendants discussing "making crack/cocaine, chopping up drugs, packaging the narcotics, and making multiple deliveries of drugs, including fentanyl in Nassau County."
Prosecutors said a narcotics kilogram press used to make bricks of cocaine was allegedly recovered with powder still in the machine along with various stamps with symbols including a yinyang and a “Transformers” head at Corley's North Montgomery Street home when they executed a search warrant there in June.
Prosecutors also said they recovered nearly three kilograms of cocaine and 430 grams — nearly half a kilogram — of fentanyl in a trap disguised as an older-model microwave at Corley's house.
Corley pleaded not guilty Wednesday before Berkowitz to operating as a major trafficker, second-degree conspiracy, six counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
He was ordered held without bail. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
Defense attorneys for Corley and his co-defendants could not be reached for comment.
Also charged with conspiracy and drug charges were James Anthony Alexander, 48, of Baldwin and Lithonia, Georgia; Janeathea Nealy, 36, of Baldwin; Thomas Keyes 36, of Long Beach; and Clifford Nealy, 47, of West Hempstead. They all pleaded not guilty.
Berkowitz set Alexander’s bail at $500,000 cash, $1 million bond and $2 million partially secured bond. Janeathea Nealy’s bail was set at $25,000 cash, $50,000 bond and $100,000 partially secured bond. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison.
Keyes was released to pretrial services. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Bail for Clifford Nealy, who was also charged with nine counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, was set at $25,000 cash, $50,000 bond, and $100,000 partially secured bond. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Seven others who were indicted, including Lockwood, were not charged in the conspiracy.
With Deborah S. Morris and Gregg Sarra
The Malverne High School head football coach has been indicted on gun and weapons possession charges in connection with an alleged narcotics trafficking ring selling cocaine, crack and fentanyl on the South Shore, authorities said Thursday.
Kito Lockwood, 49, of West Hempstead pleaded not guilty Wednesday before Judge Meryl Berkowitz to three counts of criminal possession of a firearm and three counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. Lockwood was released without bail to pretrial services.
In a statement Thursday, Malverne Superintendent Lorna R. Lewis said: “The individual is an employee of the district, as well as a coach. We are aware of the allegations, and do not have any comment at this time" because it's a personnel matter.
Lockwood was one of 12 people indicted after a 9-month investigation into alleged drug trafficking in both Nassau and Suffolk counties that began in October 2022 after authorities received information alleging 47-year-old Christopher Corley's involvement, Nassau prosecutors said.
Lockwood is not charged with any drug or conspiracy offenses.
Lockwood’s attorney Frederick Brewington said his client is a "role model" who was inadvertently caught up in the investigation, saying he slept at a friend’s house and awoke to a police raid. The gun charges against Lockwood were a result of firearms found in the friend’s home and the guns and weapons did not belong to Lockwood, Brewington said.
“He went to watch a basketball game at a friend’s house,” Brewington said. “He just happened to be in the house.... He had a couple of drinks, decided not to drive home, and then he woke up to a raid.”
Lockwood, who coached the team Thursday night in a game against Locust Valley, could not be reached for comment.
Lockwood is in his 15th year as the Malverne football head coach. He has led the Mules to the Nassau Conference IV playoffs six times.
He also starred for Malverne as a player. He was a Newsday All-Long Island defensive back/running back in his senior year, 1991, after he led the team to its last conference championship.
He graduated in 1992 and went on to a successful football career at Wagner College.
A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office declined comment on Lockwood.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s Long Island District Office Task Force and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office conducted months of surveillance across several locations allegedly used for the drug trafficking, including in Valley Stream, West Hempstead, Baldwin and Long Beach.
Prosecutors said they have wiretapped phone calls of Corley, of Valley Stream, and some of his co-defendants discussing "making crack/cocaine, chopping up drugs, packaging the narcotics, and making multiple deliveries of drugs, including fentanyl in Nassau County."
Prosecutors said a narcotics kilogram press used to make bricks of cocaine was allegedly recovered with powder still in the machine along with various stamps with symbols including a yinyang and a “Transformers” head at Corley's North Montgomery Street home when they executed a search warrant there in June.
Prosecutors also said they recovered nearly three kilograms of cocaine and 430 grams — nearly half a kilogram — of fentanyl in a trap disguised as an older-model microwave at Corley's house.
Corley pleaded not guilty Wednesday before Berkowitz to operating as a major trafficker, second-degree conspiracy, six counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
He was ordered held without bail. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
Defense attorneys for Corley and his co-defendants could not be reached for comment.
Also charged with conspiracy and drug charges were James Anthony Alexander, 48, of Baldwin and Lithonia, Georgia; Janeathea Nealy, 36, of Baldwin; Thomas Keyes 36, of Long Beach; and Clifford Nealy, 47, of West Hempstead. They all pleaded not guilty.
Berkowitz set Alexander’s bail at $500,000 cash, $1 million bond and $2 million partially secured bond. Janeathea Nealy’s bail was set at $25,000 cash, $50,000 bond and $100,000 partially secured bond. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison.
Keyes was released to pretrial services. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Bail for Clifford Nealy, who was also charged with nine counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, was set at $25,000 cash, $50,000 bond, and $100,000 partially secured bond. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Seven others who were indicted, including Lockwood, were not charged in the conspiracy.
With Deborah S. Morris and Gregg Sarra
Nicole Fuller is Newsday's senior criminal justice reporter. She began working at Newsday in 2012 and previously covered local government.
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