Long Beach, NY - October 24, 2014 - Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced that a City of Long Beach employee was arrested yesterday for selling heroin in Long Beach – with some sales occurring while she was working at the City of Long Beach Bus Depot.

Chelsey Lindsey, of Long Beach, was arrested by the Long Beach Police Department and arraigned yesterday before Nassau County Court Judge Anthony Paradiso on the following grand jury charges:

• Three counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree (a B felony)
• Three counts of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd Degree (a B felony)
• Two counts of Official Misconduct (an A misdemeanor)

Judge Paradiso set bail at $20,000 cash or bond. Lindsey faces up to nine years in prison if convicted of the top charges. She is due back in court on Oct. 30.

Lindsey is also charged on a separate complaint of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree (an A misdemeanor) and possession of marijuana (a violation). She will be arraigned on those charges in Long Beach City Court on Oct. 29. She faces up to one year in jail if convicted of the top charge in that case.

“It is outrageous to think that a public employee collecting wages paid by taxpayers would actively contribute to an epidemic of heroin abuse that is approaching crisis levels in Nassau and beyond,” DA Rice said. “I want to thank the hard-working members of the Long Beach Police Department for their efforts to keep this dangerous and destructive drug off our streets.”

"This administration has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes employee misconduct, and when our Police Department uncovered what was going on they worked with the District Attorney to investigate and root out the problem.” said Long Beach City Manager Jack Schnirman.   

"The Long Beach Police Department is committed to combating this heroin epidemic, which is destroying lives and families. Our Narcotics Task Force will continue to aggressively target all drug dealers and bring them justice,” said Lt. Stefan Chernaski of the Long Beach Police Department.

DA Rice said that the Long Beach Police Department began an investigation into heroin dealers in the area in response to a series of drug overdoses in the community. Investigators found that on or about March 3 to June 5, Lindsey sold quantities of heroin in the Long Beach community. Some of the sales took place while Lindsey was working in the City of Long Beach Bus Depot as a part-time clerk.

Lindsey was indicted by a grand jury and subsequently arrested yesterday at her place of employment.

At the time of her arrest, Lindsey was found to be in possession of five oxycodone pills and a small amount of marijuana.

Deputy Bureau Chief Christiana McSloy and ADA Kimberly Stevenson of DA Rice’s Public Corruption Bureau are prosecuting the case. Lindsey is represented by Dana Grossblatt, Esq.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless found guilty.

Photo by Vangelis Thomaidis via Free Images