Since launching in 2017, SURGE has taken 644alleged traffickers off the streets. Nicole Keary is the Deputy Attorney General in Charge of OCTF. An official website of the United States government. Understanding Recent Changes to New Yorks Gun Laws, 54 Individuals Indicted for Roles in Distributing Heroin, Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine. The defendant faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted of the charges. Anytime we remove large amounts of illegal drugs and firearms from our streets we save future lives and improve the publics safety, said, James and her offices Organized Crime Task Force agents, the FBIs Safe Streets Task Force members, and Albany Police Department officers for their work in bringing those who flood our local communities with illegal weapons and firearms to justice.. On Oct. 21, when officers with a federal Drug Enforcement Administration task force raided what they called a penthouse, they found a gun in the first-floor office of Focus Construction, a company owned by the senior Civitello, who as a convicted felon is prohibited from possessing firearms. As alleged in the indictments, unsealed in Albany County Court today, this year-long investigation seized nearly 1.2 kilograms of cocaine, 140 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl, oxycodone, $40,000 in cash, and nine firearms, including one ghost gun., For the past year, Albany and the surrounding areas have been plagued by violent crime that has terrorized our communities and claimed too many lives, said Attorney General James. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. A total of 54 people were indicted for their roles in distributing heroin laced with fentanyl, powder and crack cocaine, and methamphetamine to Fulton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Warren counties. The investigation, codenamed Operation Garage Days, includedcovert surveillance and hundreds of hours of wiretaps. The State of New York, its officers, employees, and/or agents shall not be liable for damages or losses of any kind arising out of, or in connection with, the use or performance of such information, including but not limited to, damages or losses caused by reliance upon the accuracy of any such information, or damages incurred from the viewing, distributing, or copying of such materials. Civitello is now on his third and fourth attorneys, Syracuse-based attorneys Robert G. Wells and Derek S. Andrews. SCHENECTADY -- A prostitution ring was busted by city police, with assistance from state troopers, Wednesday, resulting in charges for six women and two men. The 54 are accused of roles in the drug trafficking ring, distributing heroin laced with fentanyl, powder and crack cocaine and methamphetamine, officials said. Barnett said investigators also found two boxes for Glock handguns, including one purchased in Kentucky by a known gun trafficker. In court papers opposing Civitellos release, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett suggested the defendant's family ties did not entirely help his case. Police encourage members of the community to report suspicious drug-distribution-related activity to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. station road cafe sudbury; yokosuka middle school student dies. The first indictment contains 521 counts and charges 33 people with crimes in relation to their involvement in the narcotics trafficking operation, including Operating as a Major Trafficker (class A-I felony), Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (class A, B, and C felonies), as well as Conspiracy in the Second degree (class B felony). ALBANY - A Schenectady man pleaded guilty Monday to illegally possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing and conspiring to distribute marijuana, federal prosecutors said. Born and raised in Albany, hes been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Schenectady County District Attorney Bob Carney : "The amount of money that we were suggesting we should apply for which is $100,000 will allow us to at least bring on a crime analyst working at the Capital District Regional Crime Analysis Center, who will be dedicated to trafficking patterns and crime issues in Schenectady County," Carney said. SCHENECTADY A city police drug raid last week resulted in the arrest of nine people on drug charges, authorities said. Lock Hilts a 26-year-old from Albany has been charged with 10 counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, in varying degrees. Have a question about Government Services? The event takes place on April 24, 2021 from 10am to 2pm at . Booysen and his five co-accused face 96 drug-dealing charges, and the indictment against them showed they were accused of crimes relating to the Mandrax trade, covering February 2013 to November 2017. The investigation also revealed that Nichols had various sources of supply for the methamphetamine and narcotics that she sold to customers who travelled to her from around the Capital Region. The Duncanville Police Department says its narcotics team was investigating the location after receiving a tip. Northern District of New York The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration brought out a heavy hitter an informant paid more than $1.9 million over the past two decades for his tips to help agents seize more than seven . By, In Albany, Sen. Schumer launches new effort to counter opioid epidemic, Berkshire DA: sedative that can increase overdose risk has been found in local opioids, A federal judge sides with 3 major drug distributors in a landmark opioid lawsuit. DARRELL ANDERSON, 29 years old, Schenectady, NYBENJAMIN BADGLEY, 29 years old, Clinton, NYANDERSON BENOIT, A/K/A MALI, 39 years old, Rutland, VTRONALD BERG, 39 years old, Schenectady, NYJAMAR BRAYBOY, A/K/A UN, 43 years old, Albany, NYJOHN CHAPMAN, 51 years old, Albany, NY JESSIE CORNER, 47 years old, Albany, NYNIEZIER ELLIS, A/K/A NEECHO, 26 years old, Albany, NY RONALD EVANS, A/K/A GOTTI, 44 years old, Albany, NY MANIEF FIELDS, 27 years old, Albany, NY DEREK GEORGE, 29 years old, Albany, NY ANTHONY GOLSON, A/K/A EYE, 41 years old, Albany, NYFREDERICK HEIDELMARK, 48 years old, Albany, NY THOMAS HEMMINGWAY, 41 years old, Albany, NY DANIEL INGERSOLL, 38 years old, Albany, NY MAZENE LACY, 41 years old, Albany, NY CHRISTINA LEWIS, 52 years old, Rensselaer, NYDONTRAY LUNDAY, 41 years old, Schenectady, NYERICA MASON, 38 years old, Warren, NYJORGE MENDEZ, A/K/A KUSHIE SUNOCO, 27 years old, Albany, NY JOSE MILLER, 52 years old, Albany, NY TYSHWAN MORRIS, A/K/A MAC, 29 years old, Schenectady, NYLUIS NAVARRO, A/K/A LV, 34 years old, Schenectady, NYJOEMAR NUNEZ, 24 years old, Albany, NY JOSUE NUNEZ, A/K/A SWAY, 40 years old, Albany, NY RONALD PERSER, 69 years old, Albany, NY RIZEL SIMS, 31 years old, Montgomery, NYEMMANUEL SMITH, 50 years old, Warren, NYANGEL SOTO, 33 years old, Albany, NY THERESA STANLEY, 38 years old, Albany, NY MARCUS VILLANO, 50 years old, Schenectady, NYKACY WEAVER, 47 years old, Albany, NY FREDERICK WILLIAMS, 32 years old, Albany, NY. "We will have more resources, equipment, technology, intelligence, all of the things that those folks need to make sure that there are preventing loss of life and getting those drug sales out of our streets out of our neighborhoods. However, the "Google Translate" option may assist you in reading it in other languages. . April 28th 2021, 6:28 AM PDT. The Democrat announced that the Office of National Drug Control Policy has heeded his call and granted Schenectady Countys request to be designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. What to know. I'm a smart guy. I am glad to see the results of the coordinated efforts by the New York attorney generals Organized Crime Task Force, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, and the Albany Police Department to arrest these individuals who have caused significant trauma, not only to the families who have lost a loved one, but also to the many individuals and families who live in our neighborhoods and have concerns for their own safety. The Division for Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Jos Maldonado, and is overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. Police Blotter: June 18, 2022. The investigation started in April 2021, and focused on two people Auburn police said are gang leaders: Nicholas Neville . The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Categories: News, Schenectady, Schenectady County, More from Schenectady The Daily Gazette, More from Scotia and Glenville The Daily Gazette, Police sergeant leads top earners in Saratoga Springs for 2022, Proctors Theatre moving forward with microgrid, Biz Beat: Making a mothers dream come true with restaurant on Broadway in Schenectady, Plans for downtown park along Schenectady's Jay Street moving forward, Weekend snowstorm brings power outages to Capital Region. ALBANY A penthouse apartment. Police also raided an address on Crane Street, a business, the day after the Orchard Street raid. ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) The New York Attorney Generals Office has announced the indictment of 54 members of a drug trafficking ring. NEW YORK New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the indictment of 54 members of a drug trafficking ring for their roles in distributing heroin laced with fentanyl, powder and crack cocaine, and methamphetamine to Fulton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Warren counties sourced from New York City dealers. Jeffrey Lichtman, a Manhattan attorney representing the younger Civitello, told the Times Union that federal authorities tried unsuccessfully to turn his client against his father. Six defendants appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and are scheduled for detention hearings later in the week. Todays takedown was the result of a joint investigation between the Office of the Attorney Generals (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), the Johnstown Police Department, the Gloversville Police Department, the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office, the Amsterdam Police Department, the Schenectady Sheriffs Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New York State Police. The Democrat announced that the Office of National Drug Control Policy has heeded his call and granted Schenectady County's request to be designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area . The year-long investigation led to the seizure of approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, 14 grams of heroin, four handguns, and $25,000 in cash. The success of this investigation is the direct result of the hard work done by members of the various agencies involved and shows just how effective law enforcement can be when working beyond their jurisdictional boundaries., This case targeted a trafficking network that was bringing dangerous, illegal narcotics into upstate New York and beyond, with no regard for the damage being done to the local communities, saidState Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen. Federal and local law enforcement recovered more than a kilogram of cocaine, half a kilogram of methamphetamine, 14 firearms, and nearly $1.6 million dollars in cash during a drug bust at a two-bedroom home in southeast Dallas last week, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah. His son is expected to be arraigned at a later date. The ring then distributed it to. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. He is set to appear in courtat a later date. The indictment seeks a money judgment against both Civitellos of $600,000, the estimated street value of all the drugs. "This would have been a good time for the defendant to say, 'You know what? A seventh person was already in custody and will be arraigned at a later date. The investigation codenamed Operation Garage Days includedcovert surveillance and hundreds of hours of wiretaps over numerous targeted phones. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York, Monitor Selection for Corporate Criminal Enforcement Policy, Seven Indicted on Schenectady Drug Charges, Syracuse Man Sentenced to More Than Ten Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and for Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking, Syracuse Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, New York City Man Indicted for Drug and Gun Offenses, Seven Indicted On Schenectady Drug Charges. The investigation was directed by Albany Police Department Detective Bill Norris, under the supervision of Detective Sergeant James Wood; and OCTF Detective Maria Romeo, with the assistance of the National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, under the supervision of Detective Supervisor John Monte and Deputy Chief John McManus. Main Office: This case also shows the scale of drugs, weapons, and money that travels through our suburban and upstate communities., Drug dealers do not contain their violence and other negative impacts on our communities to specific jurisdictions, saidGloversville Police Chief Anthony Clay. The Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. As opioid deaths take their toll across Albany, Schenectady and Rensselaer Counties, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer's plan to beef up addiction services and fight the flow of drugs into the Capital Region has taken a key step. Schenectady father, son eyed in Mafia-linked cocaine investigation, DEC finds 14-foot python in New York suburb, National Grid moving to restore power after heavy snows, Former brewmaster at Druthers brewpubs wants look at books, Kingston barber who flouted Cuomo wins back license. Photos show Civitello working on construction sites and posing with family members. During the course of the investigation, in addition to communication by cell phones, the defendants repeatedly relied on social media, specifically Facebook and Snapchat, to sell and procure drugs and brazenly brag and display illegal firearms. Members regularly posted videos and pictures of themselves possessing handguns, rifles, and machine guns, usually with high-capacity magazines protruding from the gun. As a prior felon, the elder Civitello is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm. Id like to commend Attorney General James for her leadership, as well as her unwavering support to our agency and overall safety of the Albany community.. During the course of the investigation, OCTF was able to establish that numerous members of the Downtown Associates were utilizing Snapchat in order to traffic illegal prescription drugs, namely oxycodone. "Of the several dozen character reference letters submitted by the defendant, not a single one is from a co-worker, and no letter appears to reference his supposed construction job," the prosecutor stated. The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. Sep. 1MORIAH State Police and other law enforcement agencies say they rounded up a dozen drug dealers in a multi-day raid here. Brayboy also relied on Facebook to illegally sell his narcotics. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. This collaboration among the various law enforcement agencies sends a clear message that law enforcement will rise to the challenge and protect our communities. Todays takedown is yet another major action to combat violent crime and hold accountable those who seek to endanger our communities. We'll know more about it when we get a formal grant, which won't come until August, but also HIDTA debt designation opens the door for Schenectady County to make application for other federal resources and other areas such as addiction control and treatment.". The State of New York, its officers, employees, and/or agents shall not be liable for damages or losses of any kind arising out of, or in connection with, the use or performance of such information, including but not limited to, damages or losses caused by reliance upon the accuracy of any such information, or damages incurred from the viewing, distributing, or copying of such materials. Credit Solution Experts Incorporated offers quality business credit building services, which includes an easy step-by-step system designed for helping clients build their business credit effortlessly. On Thursday, the elder Civitello pleaded not guilty at an arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Stewart. I thank our partners in law enforcement for their critical support in this takedown.. NEW YORK - Over 120 pounds of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine were recovered in New York City, Philadelphia, and Lima, Peru as part of an international drug bust announced Thursday that saw. (Albany County Sheriff's Office). Google Translate cannot translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. Thesedont appear to have been difficultarrestsfor police to make. Attorney General Letitia James said they distributed heroin laced with fentanyl, powder and crack cocaine, and methamphetamine to Fulton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and Warren counties. of drugs worth $61 million, $1-million in cash, and arresting 20 people including a minor all allegedly. And the prosecutor said the younger Civitello and his father are being investigated in connection with the DEAs seizure on April 2 of 9 kilograms of cocaine found in a hidden compartment of Civitellos blue 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. All rights reserved. Schenectady County Superior Court for Drug Treatment 612 State Street Schenectady, NY 12305 Phone: 518-285-8401 - Contact: Jennifer Regan. Contact him at rgavin@timesunion.com. They each face two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, both felonies, and one misdemeanor count of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. With opioid deaths on the rise across Albany, Schenectady and Rensselaer Counties, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is launching a plan to beef up addiction services and fight the flow of drugs into the area. There was a problem saving your notification. Market data provided by Factset. The raid was one of two last week that resulted in multiple arrests, records show. Medina faces two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and one count each of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, in addition to three misdemeanors. In addition to the listed partners, Attorney General James would like to thankGloversville Police Detective Brian Knecht, who worked under the supervision of Gloversville Police Chief Anthony Clay and Detective Lieutenant Richard Richardson, as well as Fulton County District Attorney Chad W. Brown for their assistance in this investigation. Both the Investigations Bureau and OCTF are part of the Division for Criminal Justice. NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL. Barnett said the younger Civitello's 2020 tax return listed his business as "sales" and placed his total income at $66,273. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Toronto Police made the biggest drug seizure in its history after seizing 1,000 kg. As part of his plea, he agreed to forfeit cash in the amount of nearly $320,000 and nine items of jewelry collectively worth more than $100,000 that agents seized in October, prosecutors said. Fox News Flash top headlines are here. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. You have permission to edit this article. Posted 8 Jun 2021 8 Jun 2021 Tue 8 Jun 2021 at 6:25am , updated . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. "Apparently they turned one last inmate and here we are," Lichtman said. "Beyond that, money could be used for public health purposes. Police raided 909 Crane St. on Sept. 4, an addressprosecutor Eamonn Neary identified as a business called Flawless Exchange. ALBANY - The owner of a Schenectady construction business and his son were charged in U.S. District Court on Thursday with conspiring to traffic an estimated $600,000 of cocaine in a. The 54 are accused of roles in the drug trafficking ring, distributing heroin laced with fentanyl, powder and crack cocaine and methamphetamine, officials said. At least 78 people arrested in bust of two massive drug operations in Central New York Posted: Jul 7, 2021 / 04:07 PM EDT Updated: Jul 8, 2021 / 05:45 PM EDT Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Maybe I should go to college. Nov. 17FULTON COUNTY More than four dozen people were indicted Wednesday in connection with a wide-ranging drug ring that centered on Fulton County, but extended far beyond, state Attorney General's officials said. Area police reported the following charges. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Box 7198 That was a close call. NEW YORK - New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the indictment of 47 individuals for their roles in two major drug and firearm distribution networks that trafficked heroin, cocaine, oxycodone, and firearms in the Capital Region. Schumer has been seeking federal help to counter a new wave of overdose deaths. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Charged with prostitution, a misdemean. This case is a good example of how drug dealers have no jurisdictional boundaries and they actually try and use those boundaries to further criminal activity, saidJohnstown Police Chief David Gilbo. Barnett said investigators seized more than $856,000, including $407,545 found in Civitello's apartment, another $319,387 found in the home of a relative alleged to be a co-conspirator and an additional $128,860 in Coinbase cryptocurrency. It depends, Albany Sheriff: Pair arrested for illegal gun possession, Crossgates Mall opening at noon due to weather, Snow begins falling in Capital Region during latest, DEC: Anglers hoard panfish in catch and release area, New area code coming to the Hudson Valley, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Christopher Millington, 37, of Gansevoort, Christopher Williams, 53, of Gloversville.
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