La Perla Restaurant Drug Bust Nets 3 Arrests in Riverhead

The manager of La Perla Restaurant in Riverhead was arrested for allegedly allowing two accused drug dealers to operate out of the establishment, Riverhead Town Police said.

Eliseo Quintanilla, 43, of Manorville, was charged on April 4 with criminal nuisance for maintaining a premises where persons gather to engage in unlawful conduct, police said following a six-month-long undercover narcotics investigation at the location.

His arrest came after the February 29 arrests of 33-year-old Coram resident Christopher Contreras and 32-year-old Bohemia resident James Wicks, who were both charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance for allegedly selling cocaine within the restaurant.

Riverhead police and members of the East End Drug Task Force had executed a search warrant at the restaurant on East Main Street following community complaints of illegal drug activity within the restaurant.

Attorney information for the trio was not immediately available.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with additional information is urged to contact the Riverhead Police Department 631-727-4500 ext.312. All calls will be kept confidential.