Some big names in New York law enforcement have announced the takedown of multi-state drug pipelines.
It's an impressive score: 27 defendants indicted, some $500,000 worth of heroin seized along with $50,000 worth of cocaine, thousands of illegal prescription narcotics and a cache of firearms. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Albany Police Chief Brendan Cox, and New York State Police Superintendent George Beach are calling "Operation Uptown Red Alert" "a blow in the fight against the heroin and opioid epidemic that continues to plague New York state, as well as the country as a whole."
“Operation Uptown Red Alert” focused on two major distribution rings: The first — codenamed “Uptown” — zeroed in on six suspects, accused of transporting cocaine from New York City to Albany for distribution and sale.
At the Albany County Courthouse last year, New York U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer joined Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple and other local law enforcement officials to call for emergency federal anti-drug trafficking funding to battle the heroin epidemic. "Albany is situated between New York City, one of the main distribution points, and Vermont, which we all know is one of the country's epicenters for heroin abuse."
The second ring, codenamed “Red Alert,” involved least 21 individuals accused of sending heroin, cocaine and illegal prescription medication from New York City to Albany for distribution around the Capital Region, the Catskills, Maine and Pennsylvania. Authorities seized more than 1,000 grams of bulk heroin capable of being turned into 50,000 bags of heroin with a potential street value of $500,000; and more than 1,000 illegal Oxycodone pills that were in route to Maine for distribution.
Over the course of the year-long investigation, which was led by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), New York State Police, and the Albany Police Department, authorities seized:
- More than two pounds of bulk heroin capable of being packaged into 50,000 bags of heroin to be sold on the street, giving the heroin an approximate street value of $5o0,000
- More than 1 pound of bulk cocaine with an approximate street value of $50,000
- 1,067 Oxycodone pills
- 2 shotguns
- 1 hand gun
- Over $21,000 in cash
- 7 MDMA (“Molly”) pills.
- A homemade heroin kilogram press
Of the 27 people arrested, 17 are from the Capital Region. But Chief Cox tells Newschannel13 that doesn't solve the heroin problem: "We take one supplier off the market and somebody else steps in, 'cos there's money."
Schumer said that 4.2 million Americans ages 12 and older reportedly have used heroin at least once. According to the sheriff, heroin availability and abuse has increased significantly in Albany County because it is more cost-effective. According to the police, heroin users in many nearby rural counties travel to Albany, where dealers sell the addictive narcotic for $10 per bag or $100 per bundle. "These people are killers. We know they're trying to make money, but they're killing people to make money."
And they're making that money even when incarcerated: Chief Cox: "Closing the jail cell and hearing that click, that's not a win. That's a complete failure. It's a societal failure."
And apparently a bigger failure in that the "Red Alert" included one individual who managed his own narcotics trafficking ring from behind bars while he was serving a prison term in Pennsylvania for an unrelated drug trafficking conviction.
Korey Holloway would allegedly arrange for the purchase of narcotics from prison and have his girlfriend pick them up and then sell them. At times, Holloway allegedly used 3-way calls from prison to discuss drug deals with defendant Juan Ramos, of Brooklyn, a supplier, and his girlfriend.
The ring includes three people charged with “Operating as a Major Trafficker”:
- Diomedes Silfa, of Bronx, New York
- Noemi Maldonado, of Brooklyn, New York
- Juan Ramos of Brooklyn, New York
The three major traffickers allegedly arranged for heroin and cocaine to be transported from New York City to the Capitol Region and face mandatory life sentences.
The remaining defendants face maximum sentences between 9 and 24 years in prison, depending on the individual’s criminal history.
NOTE: The charges against the defendants are accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Those charged in the two indictments handed down include:
Noemi Maldonado, of Brooklyn, New York (Charged with Operating as a Major Trafficker)
Juan Ramos, of Brooklyn, New York (Charged with Operating as a Major Trafficker)
Diomedes Silfa, of Bronx, New York (Charged with Operating as a Major Trafficker)
Amber Best, of Allentown, Pennsylvania
Clifford Chesky, of Albany, New York
Scott Cross, of Freehold, New York
Carla Davis, of Albany, New York
Symphony Davis, of Rensselaer, New York
Christopher Demasi, of Cobleskill, New York
Charles Hall, of Albany, New York
Eric Hines, of Albany, New York
Korey Holloway, of Allentown, Pennsylvania
Elijah Johnson, of Troy, New York
Isaiah Johnson, of Albany, New York
Adrian Mattei, of Albany, New York
Lowell McGill, of Schenectady, New York
Michael Miller, of Albany, New York
Marlon Nesbeth, of Albany, New York
Pedro Pablo Ramirez, of Bronx, New York
Joseph Rozier, of Rensselaer, New York
Lachone Rozier, of Albany, New York
Joseph Russo, of Albany, New York
Jennifer Sablan, of Brooklyn, New York
Aliem Shabazz, of Albany, New York
Manuel Soto, of Cornwallville, New York
Neylon Wagner, of Albany, New York
Martin Wright, of Palermo, Maine
Several additional agencies participated in the investigation, including the New York National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, United States Department of Homeland Security, United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the New York Police Department, the United States Probation Office and the United States Marshalls Service.
The investigation was conducted by OCTF Investigator John Monte, Supervising Investigator William Charles, and personnel from the Albany Police Department and New York State Police.
"The New York State Police will continue to work in conjunction with the Attorney General’s Office as part of an aggressive strategy to target the networks that are bringing heroin and other dangerous narcotics into upstate communities," said New York State Police Superintendent George Beach. "The State Police will continue to work with local law enforcement and the Attorney General’s Office to shut these illegal operations down and put the perpetrators behind bars."
