Ralph Knowles and Rebecca Browell, both of Brentwood, charged in missing girl case, indicted on drug charges

Two defendants accused in the sex-trafficking disappearance of an East Patchogue teenager were charged with drug-related crimes in a 14-count separate indictment, Suffolk County prosecutors said on Wednesday.

Ralph Knowles, 63, and Rebecca Browell, 48, worked together to sell fentanyl, heroin and cocaine in January and early February, according to the indictment.

Defense attorney Chase Brown entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of Knowles during an arraignment before acting Supreme Court Justice Richard Horowitz in Riverhead. Browell, who lives at the same Brentwood address as Knowles, is scheduled to appear before Horowitz on Friday, according to court records.

“On Friday we intend to enter a plea of not guilty,” said Pierre Brazile, Browell's attorney. "She maintains her innocence."

Horowitz ordered Knowles held on $250,000 cash bail, $500,000 bond or $1 million partially secured bond. The judge ordered Knowles to return to court on March 26.

Brown told Newsday after Wednesday’s arraignment that Knowles would ultimately be cleared of the charges.

"Even though a grand jury returns an indictment, those are just allegations," Brown said. "The district attorney’s office has a narrative of this case and unfortunately they are trying to put my client in that narrative. We look forward to putting on a defense, getting all the discovery in a very timely manner, and at the end I believe my client will prevail and be not guilty of all these allegations."

Assistant District Attorney Raquel Tisi said Knowles’ criminal record included prior drug arrests and a second-degree attempted robbery conviction in 1992.

Knowles was charged earlier this month with rape, forcible touching and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the 25-day disappearance of the East Patchogue 14-year-old. Knowles is one of nine people — seven men and two women — charged in the 75-count indictment that alleged the defendants kidnapped, raped and trafficked the girl.

Newsday is not naming the girl because she is a minor and the alleged victim of a sex crime.

The defendants pleaded not guilty during an arraignment in Riverhead last week. Three of the defendants — Francis Buckheit, 64, of East Islip; Alton Harrell, 35, of Bellport; and Daniel Burke, 61, of Bohemia — face a top count of first-degree kidnapping and could be sentenced to life in a state prison if convicted. The remaining defendants face sentences of 4 to 25 years if convicted.

Knowles was released on $250,000 cash bail after being charged in the 75-count indictment, officials said Wednesday.

Browell was arrested after selling illegal drugs to an undercover officer, prosecutors have said in court. Investigators found large quantities of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine while executing a search warrant at the Brentwood home shared by Knowles and Browell, Tisi said, as well as drug paraphernalia and packaging supplies.

Prosecutors said in court papers that Browell was providing drugs to the girl and knew the teen was underage and having sex with adult men.

Prosecutors have said the girl met two of the defendants on the second day she was missing. Authorities allege the teen was raped by all seven men charged in the indictment as she was trafficked between multiple other houses while spending each night aboard a yacht docked in Islip.

All seven men named in the indictment are charged with second-degree rape, accused of having sex with the teen, records show.

Twelve people have been arrested and face charges related to the teens' disappearance; they all have pleaded not guilty. Three defendants who faced charges in district court in the case were not included in the initial indictment.

With Grant Parpan