Officials: Cocaine ring worked in Deer Park

The man who authorities say was the leader of a cross-country cocaine ring that shipped drugs hidden in high-end cars to Deer Park was arrested in a Mexican resort city last month and arraigned Wednesday in Riverhead on charges that could put him in prison for the rest of his life.

William Wright, 34, of West Hollywood, Calif., is accused of major drug trafficking and other charges. State Supreme Court Justice Mark Cohen ordered him held without bail.

When his Suffolk co-defendants were indicted in August, some law enforcement officials expressed doubt that Wright, who reportedly partied with the likes of Paris Hilton, would be caught. But Assistant District Attorney Jake Kubetz said Suffolk police and U.S. marshals tracked him to Puerto Vallarta.

"He was trying to flee up until the last minute," Kubetz said.

In court, Kubetz said Wright was in charge of a "highly sophisticated" international drug operation. Wright imported marijuana and cocaine from Mexico, and packed it into hidden compartments of expensive cars shipped to Deer Park for distribution.

In California, Wright lived lavishly, Kubetz said. "He fancied himself a moneyed Hollywood player," he said, gambling and buying race horses.

But defense attorney Michael Brown said that actually was the source of his client's money. "My client is a hardworking man," Brown said. "He is a successful gambler. . . . He has a legitimate business."

Prosecutors say Robert Perticone, 30, of North Babylon, was the Long Island ringleader of the crew that sent millions of dollars back to California over the past five years. He, Richard Occhino, 46, of North Babylon, and Theodore Katsanos, 29, of Bay Shore, are charged with first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Cash from drug sales would be shipped back in the same cars or deposited into bank accounts through shell corporations, Kubetz said.

The business was "extremely profitable for Mr. Wright," he said. Police seized $2.5 million in transit to Wright and are seeking another $35.1 million in drug assets, Kubetz said.

Bank records show Wright had $100,000 deposited into his bank accounts every three weeks from a $220-million trust fund authorities are investigating. "Mr. Wright has access to vast, if not unlimited, amounts of money," he said.