Darren Devane, of Hempstead, sentenced to 22 years for role in 'violent drug ring' 

A Hempstead man has been sentenced to 22 years in prison, with 5 years post-release supervision, for his role in what authorities described as “a violent drug ring” that packaged and sold approximately $10,000-a-week's worth of cocaine in Hempstead.

Darren Devane, 37, was found guilty on Oct. 2, following a trial before Judge Terence Murphy, and was sentenced Tuesday as a result of that conviction on various degrees and counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance and conspiracy.

Devane, known as “Buck,” was acquitted on one count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.

“Darren Devane and his narcotics trafficking ring funneled more than 400 grams of fentanyl into Hempstead — enough for 150,000 potentially fatal doses,” Nassau District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said in a statement. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to take down these criminal operations and stop this poison from reaching our streets.”

Authorities said Devane was “one of the ringleaders” of an eight-person drug ring operating “in and around” 100 Terrace Ave. in Hempstead — and that he was a business partner with an inmate at FMC Devens Federal Prison in Massachusetts.

That investigation, a joint effort by federal, New York and Massachusetts authorities, began in 2019, determined Devane arranged to pick up 100 grams of fentanyl from a business partner’s girlfriend on Sept. 15, 2019. Agents intercepted and seized the drugs, later recovering an additional 300 grams from the apartment belonging to the partner’s girlfriend.

Authorities said Devane, whom they described as a Bloods gang member, also instructed his pregnant girlfriend to conduct a drug deal involving 100 grams of cocaine on his behalf, as he stood nearby and sold cocaine on two occasions.

In prior court proceedings, authorities said a Massachusetts inmate, Ricky Jackson, pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Jan. 13, 2020, while his girlfriend, Angelique White, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance on Feb. 10, 2020 — and was given 5 years probation.

Devane’s girlfriend, Shariah Usher, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to 5 years probation on July 27, 2020, authorities said.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”