DISTRICT ATTORNEY QUEENS COUNTY 125-01 QUEENS BOULEVARD KEW GARDENS, NEW YORK 11415-1568 718-286-6000 Release # 73-2008 www.queensda.org RICHARD A. BROWN DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: QDA PRESS OFFICE FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2008 718-286-6315 NYPD-DCPI 646-610-6700 41 CHARGED IN MAJOR DRUG SWEEP FOLLOWING UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION AT WOODSIDE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT 150 Undercover Drug Buys Made; Some Within Drug-Free School Zones; Numerous Ziplock Bags of Marijuana, Crack Cocaine and Heroin Recovered; Majority of Defendants Face Up to 15 Years In Prison Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly today announced the indictment of 18 individuals and the filing of criminal charges against 23 others on drug-related charges following a six-month undercover investigation at the Woodside Houses, a New York City Housing Authority complex in the Woodside section of Queens. Five of the indicted individuals are presently being sought. The defendants the majority of whom are in their late teens and early twenties and include a number of alleged Crips gang members were arrested over the past two days and are charged with selling crack and powdered cocaine, heroin and marijuana to undercover police officers on nearly 150 separate occasions over a six-month period. More than half of the alleged buys took place within a thousand feet of one of three public schools in the area. In one case, an alleged gang member is charged with selling a.9mm semi-automatic handgun to an undercover officer for $300. District Attorney Brown said, For the law-abiding residents of the Woodside Houses, these arrests should bring welcome relief by putting a significant dent in the drug trafficking and drugrelated violence in and around the housing complex. For those arrested, the message could not be clearer: law enforcement has no tolerance for those involved in the drug trade and who often plague the very neighborhoods in which they live. Commissioner Kelly said, This operation nipped in the bud the emergence of the drug dealers who were peppered throughout the Woodside development. I want to commend the police officers and prosecutors for their outstanding efforts to curtail the drug dealing before it could flourish. The investigation began last November when detectives assigned to the NYPD s Queens Narcotics Division received information that drug dealers were engaged in operations around the Woodside Houses. In response, the NYPD s Queens Narcotics Division and District Attorney Brown s Narcotics Investigation Bureau dispatched numerous undercover officers to purchase crack and powdered cocaine, heroin and marijuana. During the course of the investigation, undercover officers purchased narcotics on more than 150 separate occasions.
- 2 - In addition to those arrested, officers executed ten court-authorized search warrants and recovered thousands of dollars in cash, various amounts of heroin, cocaine and marijuana, a bulletproof vest, guns and ammunition, an expandable baton and handcuffs. The Woodside Houses, located at 50-51 Broadway in Woodside, Queens, is part of the New York City Housing Authority s (NYCHA) network of housing developments. The Woodside Houses was completed in 1949 and consists of 20 six-story buildings that house an estimated 3,442 people in 1,358 apartments. The defendants are variously charged with third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school grounds and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (Class B felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison); third-degree criminal sale of a firearm, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon and fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (Class D felonies punishable by up to seven years in prison); fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property (Class E felony punishable by up to four years in prison); second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, fourthdegree criminal sale of marijuana, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and petit larceny (Class A misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in jail); fifth-degree criminal sale of marijuana (Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to ninety days in jail); and unauthorized possession of handcuffs (a violation punishable by ten days in jail or a fine of $200) and unlawful possession of marijuana (a violation punishable by a fine of $100 for first time offenders). In addition, fourteen of the 36 individuals arrested have been served with Housing Trespass Affidavits. Under the Trespass Notice Program, which is part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg s Operation Safe Housing initiative, non-resident suspects arrested for drug dealing on public housing grounds receive a notice that says they are banned from NYCHA property anywhere in the City and will be arrested if they return. If the suspected drug dealer is a NYCHA resident, an eviction proceeding will be commenced and when completed, the dealer will be forced to leave his or her apartment. The investigation was conducted by detectives of the New York City Police Department s Queens Narcotics Division under the command of Inspector Robert Napolitano, including Sergeant John Steneck and Detective Paul Josefson, under the supervision of Lieutenant Christopher Thomas and Captain Michael Vanchieri, under the overall supervision of Assistant Chief Joseph Resnick, Narcotics Division, and Chief Anthony Izzo, Commanding Officer, Organized Crime Control Bureau. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Nicole Sharples and Jesse Rutter, of the District Attorney s Narcotics Investigation Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Wilbert J. LeMelle, Chief, Karen J. Friedman, Deputy Chief, and Mark L. Katz, Supervisor, and the overall supervision of Executive District Attorney for Investigations Peter A. Crusco and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Linda M. Cantoni. It should be noted that indictments and criminal complaints are merely an accusation and that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. #
- 3 - ADDENDUM The 13 indicted defendants in custody are: (* denotes an alleged Crips member) Christopher Baskerville, 22, of 2630 Linden Boulevard in Brooklyn, is charged with nine counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school grounds. At the time of his arrest, Baskerville was also charged with one count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and two counts of seconddegree criminally using drug paraphernalia. Brandon Brown, 18, of 27-10 8 th Street in Queens, is charged with one count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school ground and five counts of fourth-degree criminal sale of marijuana. Revon Cox, 22, of 167 Beach 27 th Street in Queens, is charged with five counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and four counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school ground. William Jamison,* 20, of 50-20 31 st Avenue in Queens, is charged with seven counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and five counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school grounds. Donovan Kaiam,* 25, of 50-06 31 st Avenue in Queens, is charged with five counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and five counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school ground. Elaine Marie King, 54, of 50-32 31 st Avenue in Queens, is charged with ten counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, seven counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school ground and three counts of fourth-degree criminal sale of marijuana. Harris Kirkland,*20, of 91-10 32 nd Avenue in Queens, is charged with ten counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and eight counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school grounds. Donald Lacey, 48, of 31-60 51 st Street in Queens, is charged with seven counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and five counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school grounds. Sarah McRae, 36, of 50-32 31 st Avenue, is charged with three counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. Belinda Pinckney, 43, of 50-32 31 st Street in Queens, is charged with one count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school ground and two counts of fourth-degree criminal sale of marijuana. Abraham Profit III, 19, of 31-45 49 th Street in Queens, is charged with three counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, three counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school ground and one count of fourth-degree criminal sale of marijuana. Francisco Sanchez, 23, of 31-58 51 st Street in Queens, is charged with two counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and one counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school ground. Tyrone Williams,* 18, of 35-20 21 st Street in Queens, is charged with five counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance on or near school grounds and one count of third-degree criminal sale of a firearm.
- 4 - The 23 defendants who have been summarily arrested are: Shamel Alexander, 20, of 50-45 Newtown Road in Queens, is charged with one count of fourth-degree criminal sale of marijuana. Justin Allen, 22, of 50-29 Broadway in Queens, is charged with one count of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and unauthorized possession of handcuffs. Andrew Alleyne, 31, of 31-25 49 th Street in Queens, is charged with one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, one count of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Janaea Banks, 20, of 50-29 Broadway in Queens, is charged with one count of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and unauthorized possession of handcuffs. Rammel Barr, 18, of 180 Powell Street in Queens, is charged with three count of fourth-degree criminal sale of marijuana. Jarrod Brannon, 25, of 50-24 31 st Street in Queens, is charged with eight counts of fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana and one count of Sonya Brannon, 51, of 50-24 31 st Avenue in Queens, is charged with one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana and two counts of Eileene Civallero, 28, of 50-17 Broadway in Queens, is charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and one count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Louis Colon, 34, of 50-17 Broadway in Queens, is charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and one count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Nastasha Figerera, 21, of 31-07 49 th Street in Queens, is charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and two counts of Ana Gonzalez, 44, of 31-07 49 th Street in Queens, is charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and two counts of Jessica Gonzalez, 29, of 31-50 51 st Street in Queens, is charged with one count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of seconddegree criminally using drug paraphernalia, one count of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana. James Martin, 41, of 31-21 54 th Street in Queens, is charged with one count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Jesus Pastrano, 21, of 31-30 51 st Street in Queens, is charged with six counts of fourth-degree criminal sale of marijuana. Jamal Richardson, 31, of 31-50 51 st Street in Queens, is charged with one count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of seconddegree criminally using drug paraphernalia, one count of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana. Valerie Richardson, 27, of 31-25 49 th Street is charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, one count of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
- 5 - Guy Rivera, 17, of 35-06 21 st Street in Queens, is charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sale of marijuana Lydia Sanchez, 17, of 31-58 51 st Street in Queens, is charged with one count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana. Hector Santana, 23, of 31-07 49 th Street in Queens, is charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and two counts of Gregory Smith, 49, of 31-21 54 th Street in Queens, is charged with one count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Tashawn Sykes, 23, of 50-17 Broadway, is charged with one count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and two counts of seconddegree criminally using drug paraphernalia. Janaea Velecela, 20, of 50-29 Broadway, is charged with one count of second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and one count of unauthorized possession of handcuffs. Tyree Walker, 19, of 146-06 Beach 59 th Street in Queens, is charged with one count of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. # Note to Editors: E-version of this press release posted at www.queensda.org