News from Attorney General Andrew Cuomo



News from Attorney General Andrew Cuomo

Department of Law Department of Law

120 Broadway The State Capitol

New York, NY 10271 Albany, NY 12224

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Cuomo Announces Multi-City Takedown as Part of Upstate Guns, Gangs and

Drugs Initiative

More than 400 law enforcement officers making 87 arrests this morning

in five New York State counties; $260,000 in drugs, guns and cash seized

to date

ALBANY, N.Y. (September 6, 2007) - New York State Attorney General

Andrew M. Cuomo today announced an unprecedented takedown as part of his

Guns, Gangs and Drugs Initiative. The effort netted 87 arrests through a

multi-state, multi-law enforcement agency action that commenced this

morning, and set forth an aggressive model to help turn the tide in

Upstate against guns, gangs and drugs.

“Today’s arrests deliver a significant blow to the elaborate

organizations that funnel heroin, cocaine and other drugs into our

communities,” said Attorney General Cuomo. “Ridding upstate

communities of such criminal activity is a priority of my office and

involves targeting everything from street level dealing to top-level

criminal enterprises. Working cooperatively with multiple Upstate law

enforcement agencies to form coordinated investigations is key to

fighting the crime epidemic across the state and is core to my

office’s ongoing initiatives against drugs and illegal guns.”

More than 400 law enforcement officers were involved in today’s 87

arrests, which were part of “Operation: Thunder and Lightening,” a

series of investigations being prosecuted by the Attorney General’s

Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF). Investigators, coordinating with

multiple partners across the state, aggressively utilized sophisticated

covert surveillance - including 95 wiretaps - as part of a cooperative

approach with local law enforcement. Investigators seized over $260,000

in drugs, guns and cash to date -- approximately $120,000 in cocaine,

$35,000 in heroin, $5,000 in marijuana and ecstasy and over $100,000 in

cash were seized during the sweep.

This massive crackdown, the largest ever to be prosecuted by the

Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force, focused on drug

distribution networks orchestrating the flow of heroin and cocaine into

upstate New York - primarily in Rochester, Syracuse and Elmira. Over 5

kilos of cocaine, over 11 ounces of heroin (more than 2,000 glassine

envelopes) and other narcotics have been seized as a part of the

investigation. The defendants are charged with a variety of crimes from

Conspiracy to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance, which is

punishable by up to 24-years in prison.

In Syracuse:

In Onondaga County, 20 individuals operating in the Syracuse region

were indicted for their roles in a heroin distribution network. The

investigation resulted in the seizure of over 2,000 bags of heroin

destined for the streets of Syracuse. Authorities also seized a defaced

assault rifle from two defendants that they attempted to trade for

heroin. The investigation also led to the interception of a handgun, a

quantity of the drug ecstasy and a quantity of heroin from a residence.

Fifteen additional individuals were indicted for alleged heroin and

cocaine trafficking between Onondaga and Monroe Counties. Authorities

seized more than ¼ pound of heroin, an assault rifle, a handgun and more

than $50,000 in cash.

“Operation: Thunder & Lightning” also struck a separate drug

organization in Syracuse, with charges against three individuals for

conspiring to possess and distribute heroin and the seizure of 73 bags

of heroin. A large alleged cocaine trafficking ring in Onondaga County

was also uncovered, resulting in the arrests of 26 individuals,

including two from Cortland County and the seizure of more than two

kilograms of cocaine, a small amount of heroin, three handguns, two

rifles and more than $30,000 in cash.

In Rochester:

OCTF’s investigation determined the Rochester and Syracuse drug rings

were linked. Defendants who were supplying heroin to Syracuse dealers

were also part of a larger cocaine distribution network within Rochester

- leading to the arrest of 11 more individuals on cocaine and marijuana

charges. More than three kilograms of cocaine, two pounds of marijuana

and more than $20,000 in cash were seized.

In Elmira:

In Elmira, an undercover tax investigator investigating the sale of

tax-free alcohol at the Soft Tail Saloon on E. Washington Ave. was

propositioned with an alcohol-for-cocaine exchange. This sparked an OCTF

wiretap investigation resulting in a Chemung County Grand Jury returning

an indictment charging 17 additional individuals for their participation

in a cocaine trafficking network. Two other individuals were charged

with misdemeanors for their role in the ring. Nearly six ounces of

cocaine were seized during this branch of the investigation.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed

innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Chris Prather, Deputy Attorney General-In-Charge of the Organized Crime

Task Force, said, “Today’s arrests underscore the Organized Crime

Task Force’s commitment to Attorney General Cuomo’s efforts to crack

down on the plague of guns and drugs across Upstate. It also proves that

coordinated efforts by various law enforcement entities can prove a

formidable force.”

Special Deputy Attorney General for Guns and Gangs Carl J. Boykin said,

“As a lifelong resident of Central New York, I understand the

challenges that we face in the ongoing battle with drug and gun runners

and gangs. By coordinating services and resources between various law

enforcement groups, we create a force to fight the scourge of guns and

gangs that plague our communities and threaten our children.”

Onondaga County District Attorney William J. Fitzpatrick said, “Today

marks the culmination of a year-long investigation by members of local,

state and federal law enforcement agencies, working together to take

drugs and guns off the streets of upstate and central New York

communities. We are proud of our long-standing relationship and

partnership with the Attorney General’s Office, including the OCTF.

These indictments and arrests demonstrate for the citizens of our state

that prosecutors, police officers and investigators in multiple

agencies, at every level of government can, and do, work diligently,

collaboratively and effectively in an effort to keep them safe. I also

think it sends a strong message to drug dealers and gangs trafficking in

drugs and guns that doing business in New York State will have dire

consequences.”

Chemung County District Attorney John R. Trice said, “Today's

operation in Elmira in which some 17 known drug dealers were arrested in

connection with an investigation commenced months ago by the Attorney

General's Organized Crime Task Force, illustrates the success and

effectiveness of multi-jurisdictional investigations. Without the

extraordinary cooperation of the Task Force, the New York State Police

Special Investigations Unit, the New York State Police Community

Narcotics Enforcement Team and local law enforcement such as the Drug

Enforcement Unit of the Elmira Police Department, a sweep of this

magnitude would not be possible. The City of Elmira has today reaped

the benefit of this collaborative effort. Elmira is indebted to all the

various law enforcement agencies participating in this

investigation.”

Monroe County District Attorney Michael Green said, “This case is

another in a long line of cases demonstrating not only the connection

between drugs, guns and violence but also how increasingly these

networks extend between our communities. In Monroe County we have a

long history of collaboration between federal, state and local police

and prosecutors to attack the issue of drugs, guns, gangs and violence,

and we are pleased to have Attorney General Cuomo’s Organized Crime

Task Force as a partner in our efforts. In this case the Task Force, in

connection with local law enforcement, has scored a major victory in our

fight against this drug network. On behalf of the citizens of Monroe

County I want to thank Attorney General Cuomo and all who worked on this

case for their efforts.

Acting Commissioner of the New York State Department of Taxation and

Finance Barbara G. Billet said, “Our undercover tax enforcement

officers, while pursuing cases involving excise tax evasion, often find

themselves in the more dangerous, high-stakes netherworld of drug and

firearms trafficking. Their dedication illustrates that the Tax

Department will use every means available to capture and prosecute tax

criminals. I wish to extend my thanks to the Attorney General and to his

Organized Crime Task Force for their professionalism and their

dedication to bringing these criminals to justice.”

Elmira Mayor John Tonello said, "We have known for a long time that

Upstate cities like Elmira are not immune to the spread of guns and

drugs, but thanks to the Attorney General Cuomo’s dedication and local

efforts like the recent “Operation Crack Hammer,” we’re sending a

strong message that we are not going to stand by and just take it."

“Today's arrests underscore Attorney General Cuomo's commitment to

fighting the scourge of guns and drugs in Rochester and all across

Upstate. The cooperation between the dedicated members of his Organized

Crime Task Force, our Rochester Police Department and local law

enforcement officials from across the state, and the results we are

seeing, proves criminals in our hometowns will be facing a formidable

force,” said Rochester Mayor Robert J. Duffy.

Syracuse Mayor Matt Driscoll commended the Attorney General and his

office for coordinating this massive statewide initiative saying, “I

cannot stress enough that this is the result of coordinated criminal

investigating and networking initiatives that halted the flow of drugs

and proliferation of gang activity. Our Syracuse Police Department's

efforts combined with Attorney General Cuomo's team provided a powerful

force that these lawless individuals could not overcome. Going forward,

the continued relationship with agencies on a city, county and statewide

basis is essential in preventing more organized crime cells in

developing strength and size.”

The investigations leading to the charges announced today were carried

out by OCTF with investigators from the New York State Police; the

Department of Taxation and Finance; the Onondaga County District

Attorney’s Office; the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration; the

Federal Bureau of Investigations, the U.S. Marshal’s Service;

Syracuse, Rochester and Elmira’s Police Departments; the Sheriff’s

Departments from Onondaga, Monroe and Wayne counties; the Cortland

County Drug Task Force and the Greater Rochester-Area Narcotics

Enforcement Team (“GRANET”). The cases were developed and are being

prosecuted by Assistant Deputy Attorneys General James Mindell, Gordon

Cuffy and Irene Bardot of the Attorney General’s OCTF under the

supervision of J. Christopher Prather, head of OCTF. Sgt. John Henderson

and Officer Phil Sindoni of GRANET; Investigator William Soldato of

Taxation and Finance; Supervising Investigator Ronald Vincent of OCTF;

Investigators William Elsenbeck, J. Timothy MacConaghy; Paul Pendergast,

all of OCTF; Inv. Doug Davis and Senior Investigator Joe Brainerd of the

New York State Police; Sgt. Robert Milby of the Wayne County Sheriff’s

Department, and Sgt. Todd Caufield of the Cortland County Sheriff’s

Department assisted in the investigation.

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