Riverhead man accused of drug trafficking pleads guilty to felony charges in county court

The Riverhead man prosecutors said was the leader of a drug ring responsible for the weekly delivery of up to three kilos of powder cocaine to eastern Suffolk County pleaded guilty to two felony charges in Suffolk County Criminal Court yesterday.

Robert Love, 59, of South Oakland Drive, was arrested last July on multiple felony charges after an investigation by the East End Drug Task Force.

Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota said last year that Love was the leader in a Bronx-to-Riverhead cocaine ring. He was charged with operating as a major drug trafficker and with possession of narcotics valued at more than $75,000 with the intent to sell. He pleaded guilty to one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the second degree, a class A felony, and third-degree conspiracy, a class D felony.

Love is next scheduled to appear before Judge Martin Efman for sentencing on May 24, according to online court records.

Police executed eight search warrants during the East End Drug Task Force investigation, Spota said last year. Detectives seized 13 cars and in three of the vehicles detectives discovered hidden traps used by runners to store cocaine and cash during transport to and from NYC and Long Island, according to the DA. The electronic traps were opened by pressing air conditioning, hazard light or windshield wiper buttons in sequence, the district attorney said.

Also charged last year were Miguel Matos of the Bronx and his son-in-law, Radames “Ray” Melendez, who served as a “runner” for the ring, delivering cocaine to Love in Riverhead in exchange for cash, according to the district attorney.

Charges against Matos are still pending. Melendez pleaded guilty to criminal facilitation, a class A misdemeanor, on Dec. 18 and in February was sentenced to three years probation.

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