In a courtroom appearance that left little to the imagination, a Long Island restaurant worker made quite the statement. Accused of dealing drugs from the dining room, Andres Cabrera-Sanchez arrived at court in a hoodie emblazoned with a marijuana leaf and the phrase, “Roll Up.”
Cabrera-Sanchez, 25, was among several individuals apprehended for allegedly distributing narcotics at La Costa Catracha, a Honduran restaurant in Brentwood. His choice of attire during the arraignment in Suffolk County criminal court on Sunday drew attention for its brazen lack of subtlety.
In addition to the drug-related charges, Cabrera-Sanchez faces accusations of possessing an illegal firearm. The charges emerged after what began as a routine liquor compliance check at the restaurant escalated into a significant drug bust.
The arrest took place when investigators from the Suffolk County Police, the state Liquor Authority, and Islip fire marshals conducted a surprise inspection as part of enforcing the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Law.
The investigation revealed a drug operation that extended beyond the restaurant into a nearby Brentwood residence, according to Suffolk officials. The discovery highlighted the extent of the narcotics network allegedly operating from the establishment.
The inspection uncovered a narcotics operation that stretched from the dining room to a nearby Brentwood home, Suffolk officials said.
Restaurant owner Wilmer Mendez-Barrera, 44, was slapped with with tickets for ABC violations while worker Keshawn Matthews, 39 — who was decked out in a phony tactical vest and armed with an imitation firearm — was written up for being an unlicensed security guard, officials said.
Restaurant patrons Juana Flores, 47, and Maykol Escobar-Rivas, 18, were charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance while a third patron, Christian Palacios-Ruiz, 18, was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, officials said.
The probe led to a nearby home in Brentwood where resident Joshua Molina, 27, was taken into custody on drug and endangering the welfare of a child charges.
The Fire Marshal has since deemed La Costa Catracha unsafe for occupancy and shut the business down, hitting the establishment with multiple summonses.
