A Bay Shore man has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a series of cocaine sales that unfolded inside a Ronkonkoma bar that has since been closed by state regulators, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced.
Vladimir Elie, 48, pleaded guilty in October to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree for selling more than two ounces of cocaine to an undercover Suffolk County Police detective. He also pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.
According to court documents and statements made during Elie’s plea allocution, Suffolk County Police opened an investigation into JW’s Bar on Hawkins Avenue in October 2024 following numerous complaints alleging narcotics activity. An undercover officer assigned to the investigation purchased cocaine from Elie inside the bar.
Elie returned to the bar several times to complete additional sales, including on October 23, November 1, and November 13, 2024. The final sale involved more than two ounces of cocaine.
The investigation continued into 2025. On May 15, Elie was stopped by Suffolk County Police in Bay Shore. During a search of the vehicle he was driving, officers recovered a loaded handgun, fentanyl, cocaine, a digital scale, packaging materials, three cellphones, and $900 in cash.
In October 2025, JW’s Bar was shut down following a joint investigation by the District Attorney’s Office, Suffolk County Police, and the New York State Liquor Authority. Tierney noted that the establishment had become a problem location for the community.
“This bar was a blight on the community, and I thank the Suffolk County Police Department and the New York State Liquor Authority for coming together and shutting it down,” Tierney said. “Drug dealers should be on notice: if you sell in Suffolk County you will go to prison.”
Elie was sentenced on December 1, 2025, by Judge Timothy P. Mazzei to seven years in prison. He was represented by attorney Steven Wilutis. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Lauren Golombek and Robert Kerr of the Narcotics Bureau.
