A Long Island drug dealer was charged Wednesday after authorities found heaps of pills ‘containing enough fentanyl to kill more than 65,000 people” — and several abused pooches used for dog fighting at his home, according to prosecutors.
Kevin Brown, 39, was hit with drugs, weapons and dog fighting charges in a 34-count indictment Wednesday when authorities discovered more than 1,000 pills, 771 of which contained fentanyl, at his Hempstead home in December, Nassau District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly said.
Police also uncovered a handgun loaded with eight rounds, seven pit bulls living in filthy conditions, additional ammunition, a bag of ketamine and dozens of other fentanyl pills.
The street value of the pills alone goes for about $34,000, according to prosecutors.
“Selling dangerous drugs is often associated with the cruelty of dogfighting, and this defendant allegedly possessed and sold pills containing enough fentanyl to kill more than 65,000 people while also housing, breeding, and training seven pit bulls to fight,” Donelly said in a press release.
Police and the DEA Task Force opened an investigation into Brown after an overdose occurred inside his Willow Avenue home in September 2024.
After two months of surveillance, they raided his property.
The malnourished dogs were spotted inside dirty wooden crates and six of them were tied up with heavy chains, prosecutors alleged.
A pit bull roaming in the backyard had “cropped” ears — a common practice used for dog fighting where the owner intentionally cuts the animal’s ears — and various dog fighting items were recovered.
The seven dogs — five males and two females — were marked with horrific dog fighting scars and the two females were used for breeding, according to prosecutors.
Months later, the dogs recovered and two have been adopted, prosecutors said.
The five others are up for adoption at the Town of Hempstead Animal Shelter.
Meanwhile, Brown was seen smiling inside Nassau County Court, ABC 7 reported.
He pleaded not guilty to the charges and Judge Caryn Fink set bail at $100,000 cash while ordering him not to own any pets.
Brown was released after posting bail, according to ABC 7.
His lawyer denied Brown’s involvement outside the courthouse.
“He’s a family man, he’s married. He’s got kids,” defense attorney Marck Gann said, according to the TV outlet.
“I don’t believe he was the owner of these dogs, and I think the DAs made assumptions about dog fighting that I don’t think is accurate.”
Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said Brown will pay for the alleged animal abuse.
“We are going to give him a nice comfortable cell,” he raged.
“He should live in the same squalor that he put these poor dogs in and let him learn that little life lesson.”
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