Tag:

Drug Trafficking

Drug Dealer From Westchester Directed Multiple 'Vicious' Attacks: Here's His Sentence Drug Dealer From Westchester Directed Multiple 'Vicious' Attacks: Here's His Sentence
Drug Dealer From Westchester Directed Multiple 'Vicious' Attacks: Here's His Sentence A Hudson Valley marijuana dealer from Northern Westchester will spend nearly two decades in prison for directing multiple violent attacks, including a brutal beating that left a man naked and bloody in a pile of snow, officials announced.  Hawthorne resident Wayne Hicks, age 32, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for charges related to the attacks and drug trafficking, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Thursday, April 4.  According to federal officials, Hicks, a Rockland County marijuana dealer also known as "Weez," directed two separate …
NY Men 'Poisoned' Prominent Transgender Activist, 'Pose' Star Who OD'd: Feds NY Men 'Poisoned' Prominent Transgender Activist, 'Pose' Star Who OD'd: Feds
NY Men 'Poisoned' Prominent Transgender Activist, 'Pose' Star Who OD'd: Feds Two New York men are facing federal charges in the death of a prominent transgender activist, performer, and author. Long Island resident Antonio Venti, age 52, of West Babylon and Michael Kuilan, age 44, of Brooklyn, were arraigned on a four-count indictment in Brooklyn federal court on Monday, April 1. Prosecutors said Venti and Kuilan sold heroin laced with fentanyl to Cecilia Gentili. NYPD officers responded to the 52-year-old’s Brooklyn home on Feb. 6 following a 911 call from her partner. Gentili was found dead in her bedroom. An autopsy determined that she died from the combined eff…
Noncitizen Nabbed For Drug Trafficking In Westchester: Feds Noncitizen Nabbed For Drug Trafficking In Westchester: Feds
Noncitizen Nabbed For Drug Trafficking In Westchester: Feds Thirteen unlawfully present noncitizens caught in New York face drug trafficking and possession charges, including several who were apprehended in the Hudson Valley and on Long Island, officials said. The thirteen criminal noncitizens were apprehended following an effort by Enforcement and Removal Operations New York City Fugitive Operations officers conducted from Monday, March 11 to Tuesday, March 26, US Immigrations and Customs Enforcement announced on Friday, March 29.  The defendants all face charges related to the trafficking or possession of methamphetamines, fent…
New Update: 5 Charged In Double-Fatal Armed Robbery In Westchester New Update: 5 Charged In Double-Fatal Armed Robbery In Westchester
New Update: 5 Charged In Double-Fatal Armed Robbery In Westchester Five men have been charged in connection with a violent shootout at a Westchester warehouse that left both an employee and a member of a robbery crew dead, federal officials announced. New, updated report - Latest Update: $15K Reward Offered For Info On Suspect In Double-Fatal Shooting In Mount Vernon The five defendants were arrested following an attempted gunpoint robbery of a warehouse in Mount Vernon in the area of 137 South Fifth Ave. that sells unlicensed marijuana and nicotine products to smoke shops, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced …
Man Gets Prison Time For Operating Cocaine Delivery Service: Caused Death Of Westchester Man Man Gets Prison Time For Operating Cocaine Delivery Service: Caused Death Of Westchester Man
Man Gets Prison Time For Operating Cocaine Delivery Service: Caused Death Of Westchester Man A 41-year-old man will spend more than a decade in prison for operating a cocaine courier service that delivered fentanyl-tainted cocaine to a Westchester man, causing his death.  Florida resident Jose Luis Tejada Aybar of Miami was sentenced on Tuesday, Feb. 27 to 12 and a half years in prison for operating the Cab Louie Delivery Service, which brought cocaine to customers in the Bronx and Westchester, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced.  According to federal officials, Tejada Aybar began the delivery service in March 2018. To order…
Dealers Behind Fatal ODs Would Be Charged With Manslaughter Under NY Bill: 'This Is A Crisis' Dealers Behind Fatal ODs Would Be Charged With Manslaughter Under NY Bill: 'This Is A Crisis'
Dealers Behind Fatal ODs Would Be Charged With Manslaughter Under NY Bill: 'This Is A Crisis' Drug dealers in New York could soon face manslaughter charges for selling narcotics that result in fatal overdoses. State lawmakers are considering a bill that would make selling, delivering, or otherwise administering a controlled substance eligible for manslaughter charges if someone later dies from an overdose. Under current law, a person who provides an illicit drug that results in death can typically only be charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, a non-violent felony. Related Report: 'Gone Forever': Yonkers Mom Recounts Teen's Overdose On 'Red Table Talk' The bi…
Prominent Westchester County Anti-Gun Director Sentenced To Prison Prominent Westchester County Anti-Gun Director Sentenced To Prison
Prominent Westchester County Anti-Gun Director Sentenced To Prison A prominent Hudson Valley anti-gun leader has been sentenced to prison for drug trafficking in the region. Westchester County resident Michael Rodrigues, age 49, of Yonkers, was sentenced Thursday, Jan. 4, in Orange County Court to 10 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. He pled guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy, said Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler.  Rodriguez is the director of Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence (B.R.A.G.), which is a prominent anti-violence program that receives government mon…
Duo Caught With Crack Cocaine, Heroin, Pills After Traffic Stop On I-684 In Westchester: Police Duo Caught With Crack Cocaine, Heroin, Pills After Traffic Stop On I-684 In Westchester: Police
Duo Caught With Crack Cocaine, Heroin, Pills After Traffic Stop On I-684 In Westchester: Police Two Northern Westchester residents face drug charges after they were caught with crack cocaine, heroin, and pills during a traffic stop on a busy highway, police announced. Armonk resident Sidney Gershenov, age 34, and Chappaqua resident Katherine Oliver, age 35, were both arrested on Friday, Dec. 22 following a traffic stop on Interstate 684 in Harrison, New York State Police announced.  On the day of the incident, troopers patrolling I-684 pulled over a 2022 Jeep for traffic violations. Investigators then determined that the driver, Gershenov, was in possession of arou…
Trio Nabbed For Trafficking Cocaine Into Westchester: 1 Caught With Child Porn, DA Says Trio Nabbed For Trafficking Cocaine Into Westchester: 1 Caught With Child Porn, DA Says
Trio Nabbed For Trafficking Cocaine Into Westchester: 1 Caught With Child Porn, DA Says Three men will spend years in prison for trafficking narcotics into Westchester from another state, including one who was caught with child pornography on his cell phone, officials announced. The trio's sentences were announced on Friday, Oct. 20 by the Westchester County District Attorney's Office, which helped prosecute the three men.  The sentencings followed a six-month investigation beginning in February 2022 that centered on the defendants' illegal possession and trafficking of cocaine from Philadelphia to Yonkers. A forensic analysis of the trio's cell phones had revealed text m…
Anti-Gun Leader From Westchester Admits Supplying Cocaine To Hudson Valley Drug Ring: DA Anti-Gun Leader From Westchester Admits Supplying Cocaine To Hudson Valley Drug Ring: DA
Anti-Gun Leader From Westchester Admits Supplying Cocaine To Hudson Valley Drug Ring: DA The 49-year-old director of a prominent anti-gun violence program from Westchester has admitted to supplying cocaine to narcotics dealers in the Hudson Valley, officials announced.  Yonkers resident Michael Rodriguez, age 49, pleaded guilty to drug and conspiracy charges on Thursday, Oct. 12 in Orange County Court, Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler announced.  Earlier Report: Anti-Gun Leader Busted As Alleged Kingpin Of Orange County Drug Network Rodriguez is the Director of Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence (B.R.A.G.), an anti-violence program…
Greenwich Drug-Dealing Duo Nabbed Selling Fentanyl, Crack: Police Greenwich Drug-Dealing Duo Nabbed Selling Fentanyl, Crack: Police
Greenwich Drug-Dealing Duo Nabbed Selling Fentanyl, Crack: Police A Fairfield County woman and a New York resident have been charged with allegedly selling fentanyl and crack in the area, police said. An investigation found that the two were selling drugs in the town of Greenwich. The investigation revealed that the two sold fentanyl and crack cocaine from a home located in the Greenwich Housing Authority in Central Greenwich, said Lt. Ted Latiak, of the Greenwich Police. Latial said a search warrant was executed on Wednesday, Aug. 30 in the home of Robin Repaci, age 61, of Greenwich, where police found "significant amounts" of cocaine and suspected…
Westchester County Anti-Gun Leader Busted As Alleged Kingpin Of Hudson Valley Drug Network Westchester County Anti-Gun Leader Busted As Alleged Kingpin Of Hudson Valley Drug Network
Westchester County Anti-Gun Leader Busted As Alleged Kingpin Of Hudson Valley Drug Network A Hudson Valley leader against gun violence is one of 15 people busted for allegedly dealing drugs throughout the region. The busts, which took place in Orange County and also included the seizure of numerous guns and money, were announced on Tuesday, Aug. 1 by Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler, and numerous law enforcement leaders. The busts were the result of a two-year-long narcotics investigation that utilized court-ordered eavesdropping. Seven search warrants were executed during the investigation which resulted in the seizure of over 1516 grams of cocaine cr…
Westchester Woman, NJ Man Had 20 Pounds Of Fentanyl, Feds Say Westchester Woman, NJ Man Had 20 Pounds Of Fentanyl, Feds Say
Westchester Woman, NJ Man Had 20 Pounds Of Fentanyl, Feds Say A woman from Westchester and a New Jersey man were busted with 20 pounds of deadly fentanyl and 2½ pounds of cocaine for sale, federal authorities said. Lorendy Diaz Beltre De Inoa, age 27, of Yonkers, and Bergen County resident Plinio Junior Pineda Lopez, age 33, of Oakland, NJ, were arrested with 1.5 kilos of fentanyl in Wallington, US Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said Wednesday, July 12. Nearly 8 more kilos of hidden fentanyl were found during a court-approved search on Tuesday, July 11, of Lopez’s Hillside Avenue home just off West Oakland Avenue and down the street…
Man Sentenced For Murder Of 21-Year-Old In Westchester Man Sentenced For Murder Of 21-Year-Old In Westchester
Man Sentenced For Murder Of 21-Year-Old In Westchester A man who was implicated in the fatal shooting of a 21-year-old during a robbery in Westchester will now spend decades in prison.  Yonkers resident Darnell Kidd, age 31, was sentenced on Friday, April 14 to 35 years in prison for the 2011 murder of 21-year-old Jonathan Johnson, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.  Earlier Report - Second Man Convicted For Fatal Shooting Of 21-Year-Old During Robbery In White Plains According to federal officials, on March 18, 2011, Kidd and his 31-year-old co-defendant Marcus Chambers k…
Trio Trafficked Ghost Guns, Cocaine In Port Chester, Officials Say Trio Trafficked Ghost Guns, Cocaine In Port Chester, Officials Say
Trio Trafficked Ghost Guns, Cocaine In Port Chester, Officials Say Three men face numerous charges after allegedly trafficking ghost guns, assault weapons, and large quantities of cocaine from Massachusetts to New York, officials said.  The trafficking operation was taken down on Wednesday, March 15 after a 16-month investigation by the New York State Office of the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force and the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced.  The three men charged after the take-down were Eduardo Hernandez, age 29, of Jamaica, New York; Euclides Castillo, age 30,…
Police In Westchester Help Nab Suspects Of Local Narcotics Ring Police In Westchester Help Nab Suspects Of Local Narcotics Ring
Police In Westchester Help Nab Suspects Of Local Narcotics Ring A months-long operation into a local narcotics trafficking organization in Northern Fairfield County resulted in four arrests and the seizure of large amounts of drugs and cash, police said.  The arrests resulted from the execution of 18 search warrants and an arrest warrant by the Brookfield and Danbury Police Departments on Wednesday, March 8 that stemmed from a months-long investigation into a local narcotics trafficking organization.  The investigation, known as "Operation Trinity Café," began when police responded to a non-fatal overdose in Brookfield and learned that Da…
Drug Bust: Man Caught With $30K In Cocaine During Traffic Stop In Hudson Valley Drug Bust: Man Caught With $30K In Cocaine During Traffic Stop In Hudson Valley
Drug Bust: Man Caught With $30K In Cocaine During Traffic Stop In Hudson Valley A man was busted with more than $30,000 in cocaine during a traffic stop in the area. Wayne Green, age 42, of Massachusetts, was stopped by members of the Dutchess County Drug Task Force in Amenia on Tuesday, Jan. 10, said Det. Sgt. Adam Harris, of the task force. Green was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and held without bail at the Dutchess County Jail. Anyone with information regarding this case or about any other individuals selling drugs in Dutchess County is urged to contact the Drug Task Force confidential tip line at 845-463-6040 or by sending an ema…
Westchester County Detectives Help Find $300K Of Cocaine In Hidden Compartment Of Car Westchester County Detectives Help Find $300K Of Cocaine In Hidden Compartment Of Car
Westchester County Detectives Help Find $300K Of Cocaine In Hidden Compartment Of Car Several members of the Westchester County Police Department helped catch a man who had $300,000 worth of cocaine hidden in his car, police said. On Monday, Nov. 28, around 6:30 p.m., members of the federal Drug Enforcement Agency's Group D-42, which includes detectives from the WCPD, conducted surveillance in Queens and observed the suspect enter his car with what appeared to be a weighed shopping bag, and then followed him as he drove to the West Farms neighborhood of the Bronx, according to an announcement by police on Friday, Dec. 16. When he parked, agents and police officers from …
Hudson Valley Street Gang Member Sentenced For 2016 Murder, Racketeering Hudson Valley Street Gang Member Sentenced For 2016 Murder, Racketeering
Hudson Valley Street Gang Member Sentenced For 2016 Murder, Racketeering The last of three gang members charged in the death of a Hudson Valley teen has been sentenced to prison. Dutchess County resident Dimetri Moseley, age 28, of Poughkeepsie, a member of the "Uptown" gang, was sentenced on Wednesday, Dec. 14, said Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Moseley was sentenced to 25 years in prison for racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute heroin in connection with the 2016 murder of Caval Haylett and the distribution of heroin, said the US. Attorney's Office. He had previously pled guilty to participation in…
200 Pounds Of Coke, Fentanyl Seized In Stop Of Tractor-Trailer Driver From Westchester: Feds 200 Pounds Of Coke, Fentanyl Seized In Stop Of Tractor-Trailer Driver From Westchester: Feds
200 Pounds Of Coke, Fentanyl Seized In Stop Of Tractor-Trailer Driver From Westchester: Feds A tractor-trailer driver from Westchester had nearly 100 kilos of cocaine and fentanyl combined when he was stopped for driving erratically on the New Jersey Turnpike near the Meadowlands, authorities said. Members of a special federal drug task force found the nearly 225-pound shipment after stopping Alejandro Nouel Lajud, age 39, of Yonkers, on the Turnpike in East Rutherford on Monday, Dec. 5, US Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. The drugs were divided into 95 brick-shaped packages each weighing a little over two pounds -- 70 of them containing cocaine and 25 holdin…
Port Chester Police Officer Awarded For Role In Seizing Nearly $32M Worth of Cocaine Port Chester Police Officer Awarded For Role In Seizing Nearly $32M Worth of Cocaine
Port Chester Police Officer Awarded For Role In Seizing Nearly $32M Worth of Cocaine Several members of the Westchester County Police Department have been awarded for their role in seizing almost one ton of cocaine from an airport cargo terminal.  The seizure happened on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021, when the Drug Enforcement Task Force Group D-42, which includes members of the WCPD, was surveilling a cargo terminal at Newark Airport as part of a seven-month investigation into a Puerto Rico-based drug trafficking organization, according to a post by Westchester County Police on Monday, Nov. 14.  While conducting surveillance, detectives saw two large pallet…
Hudson Valley Fire Department Lieutenant Admits To Being Major Drug Trafficker Hudson Valley Fire Department Lieutenant Admits To Being Major Drug Trafficker
Hudson Valley Fire Department Lieutenant Admits To Being Major Drug Trafficker A former Hudson Valley fire lieutenant has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to operating as a major drug trafficker. Orange County resident Paul Smith, age 52, of Deerpark, was sentenced to 10 to 25 years on Wednesday, Nov. 16, said Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler. Smith, a paid lieutenant with the city of Middletown Fire Department at the time of his arrest, was also sentenced to five years post-release supervision, the DA's Office said. The former firefighter was nabbed during an undercover investigation dubbed “Operation Bread, White, and Blues," in February …
10 Accused Of Distributing Crack Cocaine In Westchester 10 Accused Of Distributing Crack Cocaine In Westchester
10 Accused Of Distributing Crack Cocaine In Westchester Ten people are facing charges after investigators reported that they trafficked crack cocaine in Westchester County.  The indictment charging 10 individuals with various drug distribution and firearms charges in and around Mount Vernon was announced by Damian Williams, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, on Tuesday, Nov. 15. “This investigation has shut down a violent drug trafficking organization based in Mount Vernon, New York," DEA Special Agent-in Charge Frank A Tarentino III said. "Drugs and guns cause irreparable damage in our communities, and l…
Woman Nabbed With 'Candy-Like' Drugs At Hotel In Hudson Valley, Police Say Woman Nabbed With 'Candy-Like' Drugs At Hotel In Hudson Valley, Police Say
Woman Nabbed With 'Candy-Like' Drugs At Hotel In Hudson Valley, Police Say A Hudson Valley woman was nabbed with "candy-like" methamphetamine pills and crack cocaine at an area hotel during a warrant search. Dutchess County resident Cali A. Hamilton, age 25, of the town of Poughkeepsie, was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 27 by members of the Dutchess County Drug Task Force at the Red Roof Inn in Poughkeepsie. According to Det. Sgt. Adam Harris, coordinator of the Dutchess County Task Force, agents executed a warrant at the Red Roof Inn and seized a quantity of “candy-like” pills determined to be methamphetamine and a quantity of crack cocaine.  Hamilto…
Month-Long Investigation Leads To Arrest Of Accused Fentanyl Dealer In Hudson Valley Month-Long Investigation Leads To Arrest Of Accused Fentanyl Dealer In Hudson Valley
Month-Long Investigation Leads To Arrest Of Accused Fentanyl Dealer In Hudson Valley A month-long investigation into drug sales in the Hudson Valley has led to the arrest of an alleged fentanyl dealer. Dutchess County resident Shawn W. Phillips, age 40, of the town of Red Hook, was apprehended on Friday, Oct. 21, by the Dutchess County Drug Task Force. Phillips' arrest is the result of a month-long investigation into fentanyl sales in the Dutchess County area, said Det. Sgt. Adam Harris, coordinator of the task force. The investigation led to a search warrant being executed at a residence in Red Hook where cash and fentanyl were seized, Harris said. "Phillips is beli…
4 Accused Of Selling Drugs Disguised As Candy At 2 NY Stores, Including 1 Near School 4 Accused Of Selling Drugs Disguised As Candy At 2 NY Stores, Including 1 Near School
4 Accused Of Selling Drugs Disguised As Candy At 2 NY Stores, Including 1 Near School Four men have been accused of selling drugs, some disguised as candy bars, at two stores, including one near a school. Following community complaints on Long Island, Suffolk County Police executed search warrants at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Exit 42 Deli, located at 270 Spur Drive South in Bay Shore, and Legit 100 Smoke Shop, located at 165 Higbie Lane in West Islip,  During the operations, police seized large quantities of mushrooms with psilocybin, concentrated cannabis, marijuana, and cocaine. Additionally, detectives discovered narcotics package…
4 Nabbed In Takedown Of 'Vast Drug Network' Operating Throughout Northeast, DA Says 4 Nabbed In Takedown Of 'Vast Drug Network' Operating Throughout Northeast, DA Says
4 Nabbed In Takedown Of 'Vast Drug Network' Operating Throughout Northeast, DA Says Four Long Island men have been arrested for allegedly running a drug ring that sold drugs through the Northeast. Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced Friday, Oct. 7, that the four Montauk residents had been arrested and charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance.  The four are: Angel Garces-Diaz, age not available Anuedy Garces-Medrano, age 35 Yadaris Baez-Rivera, age 26 Everado Hernandez, age 45 “From Babylon to Montauk and every place in between, every community is unfortunately affected by the scourge of these drugs that are becomi…
Drug Trafficker Caught With 'Enough Fentanyl To Potentially Kill 1M' Sentenced In NY Drug Trafficker Caught With 'Enough Fentanyl To Potentially Kill 1M' Sentenced In NY
Drug Trafficker Caught With 'Enough Fentanyl To Potentially Kill 1M' Sentenced In NY A convicted drug trafficker who was busted on Long Island with what prosecutors said was enough fentanyl to kill one million people will spend decades behind bars. Keston Braithwaite, age 39, of Brooklyn, was sentenced to 31 years to life in prison Friday, Sept. 23, by a Suffolk County judge. It followed his July 2022 convictions on eleven criminal counts, including operating as major drug trafficker and criminal possession of a weapon. Prosecutors said between August 2019 and May 2020, Braithwaite acted as a major supplier of a multi-million dollar drug distribution network based out of …
Northern Westchester Man Sentenced For Role In Armed Cocaine Robbery, Smuggling Gun Into Jail Northern Westchester Man Sentenced For Role In Armed Cocaine Robbery, Smuggling Gun Into Jail
Northern Westchester Man Sentenced For Role In Armed Cocaine Robbery, Smuggling Gun Into Jail A Hudson Valley man who admitted to taking part in an armed cocaine robbery and later smuggling a loaded gun into jail will spend more than two decades in federal prison. Northern Westchester resident Deejay White, age 45, of Chappaqua, was sentenced to 21 years behind bars Thursday, Sept. 22, in federal court in Manhattan. It came over a year after White pleaded guilty in July 2021 to charges of armed robbery, conspiring to smuggle contraband into a federal detention facility, and possession of a firearm while incarcerated. Federal prosecutors said White and four co-conspirators got wind…
'Rainbow Fentanyl' Made To Look Like Candy Being Sold To Children, DEA Warns 'Rainbow Fentanyl' Made To Look Like Candy Being Sold To Children, DEA Warns
'Rainbow Fentanyl' Made To Look Like Candy Being Sold To Children, DEA Warns Brightly-colored fentanyl made to look like candy is being sold to children and young people, the Drug Enforcement Administration warns.  The DEA and law enforcement partners seized some of the brightly-colored fentanyl in 18 states in the month of August 2022.  “Rainbow fentanyl—fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes—is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.   “The men and women of the DEA are relentlessly working to stop the trafficking of rainbow fentan…
Fugitive Had 30 Pounds Of Fentanyl In Home Next To Daycare In NY, DEA Says Fugitive Had 30 Pounds Of Fentanyl In Home Next To Daycare In NY, DEA Says
Fugitive Had 30 Pounds Of Fentanyl In Home Next To Daycare In NY, DEA Says Federal agents apprehended a 44-year-old fugitive in New York, where they say he was trafficking large amounts of cocaine and fentanyl.  Benito Bello, from Lawrence, Massachusetts, who also goes by the name Zuriel Ayala Rodriguez, was arrested in the Bronx on Wednesday, Aug. 10, the DEA said.  Agents said Bello had a kilo of cocaine and 14 kilos of the synthetic opioid inside the home where a minor child also lived.  Next to the house was a daycare that watched children as young as 6 weeks old, federal agents said.  For context, 14 kilos is more than 30 pounds of …