Long Island Convenience Store Owner and Clerks Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking

Earlier today, Osman Ak and Murat Ak pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges before United States Magistrate Judge Steven I. Locke in federal court in Central Islip, New York.  A third defendant in the indictment, Mehmet Akpinar, previously pled guilty to drug trafficking.  The three defendants were arrested on September 28, 2017 in connection with a four-count indictment.  The defendants admitted to selling K-2, an illegal controlled substance, out of Eyup Gas & Convenience Store, Inc., d/b/a VS Food Mart, in Medford, New York. 

Bridget M. Rohde, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James J. Hunt, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, and George Beach, Superintendent, New York State Police (NYSP), announced the pleas.

According to court documents, the defendants trafficked K-2 or “spice” from the convenience store owned and operated by Osman Ak.  The sales were made out of a cigar boxes hidden behind the cash register. The K-2 was packaged in glitter bags with cartoon and cartoon-like characters including “Dopey,” one of Disney’s Seven Dwarfs, and names like “OMG,” “Hayze Peachy King,” “Joker” and “Hayze Hawaiian Ultra.”  K-2 is an illegal and dangerous DEA Schedule 1 drug with no medicinal use.

When they are sentenced, each of the defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the drug trafficking charge to which they pled guilty. 

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Charles P. Kelly and Madeline O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

OSMAN AK
Holbrook, New York
Age: 45

MURAT AK
Holbrook, New York
Age: 35

MEHMET AKPINAR
Nesconset, New York
Age: 51

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR- 527 (DRH)(SIL)