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Twenty-seven more arrests have been made, bringing the total to 49, as part of a lengthy investigation into heroin sales in Westchester, the Bronx, and Pennsylvania.
New Rochelle Capt. Cosmo Costa said that on Tuesday, Sept. 10, five search warrants were executed in Yonkers, the Bronx, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle and Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, as part of "Operation Red Smiley," leading to various charges for the suspects, one of whom remains at large.
More than two kilos of heroin were seized along with marijuana and weapons.
Those arrested on Tuesday were are facing charges that range from misdemeanor drug possession, to criminal sale of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a weapon.
The investigation began last May when detectives in the New Rochelle Police Special Investigations unit became aware of heroin stamped with a red smiley face symbol that was prevalent in New Rochelle.
In February, investigators identified two suspects: New Rochelle resident Jeffrey Brickle and Rafael Rivera, of the Bronx. It is alleged that Rivera supplied the heroin, and Rivera had already been under investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. He’s facing federal and state charges.
Rivera led investigators to Kevin Lynch, of Mount Vernon, who is suspected of dealing cocaine throughout Westchester. On July 24, investigators executed three search warrants in New Rochelle and Pelham that led to the arrest of seven other people, the seizure of heroin, cash and drug paraphernalia.
According to Costa, several members of the Brickle family have also been arrested and charged during the investigation. The senior members of the Brickle family include Jeffrey Brickle, Sr. aka “Pops,” and Althea Cutler. These two suspects had numerous customers in New Rochelle and arranged for other family members to also distribute contraband. Jeffrey Brickle aka “Gunnar” is the grandson of Jeffrey Brickle, Sr. and also is charged in this case.
The 49 charged, including the 27 most recently, are
- Jeffrey Brickle, 31, Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania
- Akaimamin McGhee, 23, New Rochelle
- Denise Jones, 33, New Rochelle
- Latoya Thomas, 38, New Rochelle
- Michelle Giordano, Pelham
- Joaquin Brickle, 35, New Rochelle
- Rafael Rivera, 40, Bronx
- Shelton Smith, 59, Bronx
- Jermaine Brickle, 46, New Rochelle
- Jeffrey Brickle Sr, 70, New Rochelle
- Kevin Lynch, 48, Mount Vernon
- Joseph Milline, 62, New Rochelle
- William Kemp, 61, New Rochelle
- Kari Brickle, 29, New Rochelle
- Sakue Brickle, 29, New Rochelle
- Althea Cutler, 57, New Rochelle
- Esteban Perez, 30, New Rochelle
- Elmos Watkins, 40, New Rochelle
- Kristi Prela, 24, Yonkers
- Divine Green, 45, New Rochelle
- Darryl Hollis, 58, New Rochelle
- Zaka Hussain, 26, Stamford
- Jane Andreassi, 55, Port Chester
- Marco Rabanales, 23, New Rochelle
- Cheryl Hollis, 57, New Rochelle
- Alejandro Fernandez, 23, New Rochelle
- Derek Dellaripa, 30, New Rochelle
- Andrew Lacerenza, 32, New Rochelle
- Onasses Hernandez, 40, New Rochelle
- Christina Lepore, 31, New Rochelle
- Mindy Lepore, 36, New Rochelle
- Shawna Bostick, 50, Mount Vernon
- Andrew Sauro, 31, New Rochelle
- Richard Guila, 24, New Rochelle
- Krista Leggieri, 26, Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania
- Jeanine Brickle, 44, New Rochelle
- Peter Shue, 60, Yonkers
- Willie Graham, 67, Mount Vernon
- Jeffrey Ianniello, 40, Mamaroneck
- Leroy Brown, 69, New Rochelle
- Maurice Jackson, 43, Mamaroneck
- Frank Martins, 50, New Rochelle
- Maureen Murray, 50, Mamaroneck
- William Evans, 55, Yonkers
- Charles Faulk, 47 , Yonkers
- Jason Stewart, 42, New Rochelle
- Joanne Arroyo, 47, Yonkers
- John Wells, 52, Yonkers
- Rayette Brown, 53, Mount Vernon
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