Ronkonkoma woman charged after heroin overdose probe, cops say

Police said they have arrested a Ronkonkoma woman and charged her with drug offenses Tuesday after what they termed “an extensive investigation” into a heroin overdose in Nassau County.

Melanie Sterling, 21, of Johnson Avenue was arraigned Wednesday on charges of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance after her arrest at 1:53 p.m. by Nassau police’s Narcotics/Vice Bureau detectives.

Police said Sterling was taken into custody after she tried to sell an undercover detective heroin Tuesday. She was arrested with the assistance of Nassau County Bureau of Special Operation officers and the Nassau/Suffolk Heroin Task Force.

Sterling had 10 bags of a substance believed to be heroin in her possession, police said.

She was being held on $25,000 bond or $15,000 cash and is due back in court on Sept. 12, according to court records. Her attorney could not be reached for comment.

It was unclear when the heroin overdose that led police to Sterling had occurred or what Sterling’s connection was to the overdose.