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AG James Announces Takedown of Two Narcotics Rings
Responsible for Trafficking Fentanyl Throughout Central NY and the
North Country
Published: November 02, 2023
at 12:30 p.m.
By: Press Release from NYS Attorney General’s Office
Attorney General James Announces Takedown of Two
Narcotics Rings Responsible for Trafficking Fentanyl Throughout Central New
York and the North Country
31 Individuals Indicted and Charged with 192 Crimes Relating
to Drug Trafficking and Weapons Offenses
Investigation Recovered Over 150,000 Packages of
Fentanyl
NEW YORK –
New York Attorney General Letitia James and Syracuse Police Chief Joseph
Cecile today announced the indictment of 31 defendants charged with 192 crimes related
to drug trafficking and weapons offenses in connection with two major drug
trafficking networks that were distributing fentanyl, heroin,
methamphetamine, and cocaine in Onondaga, Oswego, Cortland, Jefferson, and
St. Lawrence counties. As alleged in two indictments, the year-long
investigation led to the seizure of more than 150,000 envelopes containing
over $300,000 worth of fentanyl or a mixture of fentanyl and heroin. The
investigation also recovered nearly a pound of methamphetamine, one-quarter
kilogram of cocaine, more than $16,500 connected to narcotics distribution
activity, three illegal firearms, and two vehicles used to transport and
distribute narcotics.
“Opioids like
fentanyl have torn apart communities across our state, and organized drug
trafficking rings have fueled their spread,” said Attorney General
James. “This takedown is part of my office’s ongoing efforts to
roll back the deadly and destructive effects of the opioid crisis. We will
continue to pursue and prosecute all those who peddle illicit drugs and I
thank our partners in law enforcement for their critical support and
collaboration in this investigation.”
“I would like to
commend and thank not only our drug detectives, but also Attorney General
James’ office and every one of our federal, state, and local law
enforcement partners who made this lengthy and complex investigation a
success,” said Syracuse Police Chief Joseph Cecile. “Thirty-one
subjects thought they could peddle their poison of fentanyl, heroin, and
cocaine on the streets of Syracuse and across five counties with impunity.
They were wrong. Thanks to motivated professionals and strong partnerships,
they were wrong.”
“Because of the
critical partnerships and collaborative efforts with our law enforcement
partners, a dangerous drug trafficking operation has been dismantled,”
said New York State Police Acting Superintendent Dominick L.
Chiumento. “Each arrest and each seizure saves
lives and decreases the additional crimes that oftentimes coincide with
these illegal drug operations. The arrests of these criminals reinforce our
commitment that we will continue our aggressive posture in stopping the
flow of these dangerous drugs into our neighborhoods. I thank the Attorney
General’s Office and our law enforcement partners at all levels for their
relentless efforts to keep illegal drugs off our streets.”
“Syracuse Police
officers are working every day to combat illegal drug trafficking. I am
deeply grateful for their efforts to protect our community from addiction
and crime,” said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. “This crackdown is
another example of the importance of effective collaboration at all levels
of law enforcement to take down trafficking networks that are tearing
communities apart. I thank the Syracuse Police Department Special
Investigations Division, Attorney General James, and the Attorney General’s
Organized Crime Task Force for their dedicated efforts to put an end to
this crisis.”
Suitcases containing “blocks” of fentanyl recovered
by the investigation
Indictment One
The first indictment outlines the activity of the “Castro Group” — which
was led by Bayron Castro, a/k/a “Hov” — and
charges 23 people with 150 counts for their roles in selling controlled
substances to customers residing in Onondaga, Oswego, Cortland, Jefferson,
and St. Lawrence counties. The investigation revealed that Castro, with
assistance from Miguel Cruz, Jose Cosme, Johnathan Delgado, Xavier Jackson,
and others procured significant quantities of fentanyl from suppliers in
Bronx County for distribution throughout Central New York and the North
Country. Castro is charged with Operating as a Major Trafficker, which
carries a mandatory life sentence in state prison.
The investigation recovered over 100,000 glassine envelopes containing
fentanyl and heroin that Castro was storing and distributing from inside
suitcases in a Syracuse apartment utilized by Jose Cosme. Castro and his
associates supplied narcotics to Kwamea Jenkins
and Shawn Gifford, alleged members of the Bricktown gang which operates
within a multi-block area of the south side of Syracuse. During this
investigation, several additional Bricktown members, including Lamell
Davis, Keenan Scott, Devine Mobley, Jamar Sheppard, Jaidyn Freeman, James
Odom, and Tevon Webb, were distributing fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine,
and cocaine throughout Central New York and the North Country.
Indictment Two
The second indictment outlines the activity of the “Pettiford Group” —
which was led by Edward Pettiford, a/k/a “Buster” — and charges eight
individuals with 42 counts for their roles in selling narcotics and
methamphetamine and related events in Onondaga and Oswego counties. The
investigation of this group revealed that alleged Bricktown member Malik
Evans was distributing narcotics in Onondaga and Oswego Counties, and that
Evans was supplied by Henry Townsend, a/k/a “Henrock,”
and Brycedon James, a/k/a “Doodak,”
both of whom were supplied by Pettiford.
During the course of the investigation, Townsend was involved in a shooting
on West Newell Street in which he shot and injured an innocent civilian. In
addition to drug trafficking charges, Townsend is being charged with
Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, Assault in the Second
Degree, and related offenses in conjunction with this shooting.
Additionally, Emanuel Jenkins, a/k/a “Lean”, who was present at Townsend’s
residence during the shooting, is charged with Tampering with Physical
Evidence for retrieving and hiding shell casings discharged in the
shooting.
Recovered firearms and fentanyl
Recovered fentanyl and other narcotics
Today’s takedown
was the result of a joint investigation between the Attorney General’s
Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) and the Syracuse Police Department’s
Special Investigations Division. The multi-agency investigation, code-named
“Operation Blockbuster” due to defendants’ distribution of fentanyl in
large quantities they referred to as “blocks”, brought together the
resources of more than a dozen state, local, and federal enforcement
agencies, including the Syracuse Police Department, Onondaga County Sheriff’s
Office, Oswego County Sheriff’s Office, City of Oswego Police Department,
Oswego County Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Agency Central New York
Task Force, City of Fulton Police Department, New York State Police, New
York State Intelligence Center, New York State Department of Corrections
and Community Supervision, Cortland County Sheriff’s Office, the
Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S.
Border Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection
Service, U.S. Marshal’s Service, and the Onondaga County Probation
Department. The investigation included covert physical surveillance,
thousands of hours of electronic surveillance, and multiple search warrants
aimed at rooting out heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine dealers
operating in Central New York and the North Country.
The takedown marks another major drug bust in the Attorney Generals
Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (S.U.R.G.E.)
Initiative, a law enforcement effort that brings together state and local
law enforcement to target New York’s growing — and often violent — heroin,
fentanyl, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks. Since launching in
2017, SURGE has taken 909 alleged traffickers off the streets.
The 31 individuals who were charged with various crimes in relation to
their involvement in the narcotics trafficking operation, that include
various counts of Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled
Substance (class A, B, and C felonies), and Conspiracy to commit those
crimes, as well as the charges related to the shooting on West Newell
Street include:
Deion Bradley, 26 years old, Syracuse, NY
Bayron Castro, a/k/a “Hov”, 41 years old,
Syracuse, NY
Jose Cosme, 54 years old, Syracuse, NY
Jean Carlos Cruz, 34 years old, Syracuse, NY
Miguel Cruz, a/k/a “G”, 36 years old, Liverpool, NY
Lamell Davis, a/k/a “Melly,” or “O’Melly,” a/k/a
“Felix”, 29 years old, Syracuse, NY
Johnathan Delgado, a/k/a “Green Eyes”, 37 years old, Syracuse, NY
Malik Evans, a/k/a “Leek”, 35 years old, Syracuse, NY
Chad Firenze, 34 years old, Granby, NY
Terrah Frederick, 35 years old, Adams Center, NY
Jaidyn Freeman, a/k/a “Jaido”, 21 years old,
Syracuse, NY
Shawn Gifford, a/k/a “Nani”, 36 years old, Syracuse, NY
Michael Hudgins, 36 years old, Syracuse, NY
Xavier Jackson, 29 years old, Syracuse, NY
Brycedon James, a/k/a “Doodak”,
24 years old, Syracuse, NY
Emmanuel Jenkins, a/k/a “Lean”, 32 years old, Syracuse, NY
Kwamea Jenkins, 23 years old, Syracuse, NY
Luis Miguel Joaquin, 35 years old, Bronx, NY
David Kalet, 36 years old, Port Byron, NY
James Kelley, 35 years old, Liverpool, NY
Christopher Lanzafame, 33 years old, Baldwinsville, NY
Docciana Mack, 34 years old, Syracuse, NY
Devine Mobley, 21 years old, Syracuse, NY
James Odom, 31 years old, Syracuse, NY
Edward Pettiford, a/k/a “Buster”, 30 years old, Syracuse, NY
Keenan Scott, a/k/a “Kasey”, 26 years old, Syracuse, NY
Jamar Sheppard, a/k/a “Ski”, 27 years old, Syracuse, NY
Carlos Torres, 30 years old, Syracuse, NY
Henry Townsend, a/k/a “Rock,” a/k/a “Henrock”, 28
years old, Syracuse, NY
Jeffrey Walts, 40 years old, Central Square, NY
Tevon Webb, a/k/a “Tay”, 28 years old, Syracuse, NY
The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the
defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court
of law.
The investigation was led by Syracuse Police Detective Travis Holmes and
OAG OCTF Supervising Detective Tim MacConaghy, with the assistance of the
U.S. Army National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, under the supervision of
OCTF Assistant Chief Investigator John Monte and Deputy Chief Investigator
Andrew Boss. The Attorney General’s Investigations Division is led by Chief
Oliver Pu-Folkes.
The case is being prosecuted by OAG OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorney General
Geoffrey Ciereck, with the assistance of Legal Support Analyst Sean
McCauley and OCTF Confidential Clerk Theresa Rowe, under the supervision of
Upstate OCTF Deputy Chief Maria Moran. Nicole Keary is the Deputy Attorney
General in Charge of OCTF. The Criminal Justice Division is led by Chief
Deputy Attorney General Jose Maldonado. Both the Investigations Division
and the Criminal Justice Division are overseen by First Deputy Attorney
General Jennifer Levy.
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