Brooklyn man gets 31 years to life in Suffolk drug ring case

A Suffolk County judge sentenced a Brooklyn man to 31 years to life on drug trafficking charges for running a multimillion-dollar drug ring including distribution of fentanyl, prosecutors said.

Keston Braithwaite, 39, was convicted in July of 11 counts, including two counts of operating as a major drug trafficker/profiteer; second-degree conspiracy; second-degree criminal possession of a weapon for possessing five or more firearms; and two counts of first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

He was sentenced Friday by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins to 21 years to life for operating as major drug trafficker and sentenced to 10 years of incarceration on a conviction of criminal possession of a weapon, according to the Suffolk County district attorney’s office.

“This sentence takes into account the damage that this defendant caused in Suffolk County by peddling these deadly drugs to vulnerable members of our community,” District Attorney Ray Tierney said. “Fentanyl and other dangerous and addictive drugs are a lucrative business for unscrupulous drug dealers. The illegal drugs they sell not only ruin the lives and disrupt families, they kill.”

Prosecutors said Braithwaite ran his operation in western Suffolk County, running a stash house on Southport Street in Ronkonkoma. Authorities said he bagged large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl to sell from Aug. 27, 2019, through May 19, 2020.

Police served a search warrant at the house and recovered 2 kilograms of fentanyl, 1 kilogram of cocaine and six loaded firearms, authorities said. Police also seized cutting agents, packaging materials, digital scales, a money counter and $20,000 in cash.

Braithwaite received lesser sentences on his other nine convictions running concurrently to each other.

He has filed several lawsuits against Suffolk County and attorneys. Following his conviction, his attorney vowed he would appeal the conviction.