January 29, 1999

LAST TWO OF 24 LEFRAK CITY DRUG GANG DEALERS CONVICTED

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown announced today the conviction of the last two of 24 gang members who had been arrested after a lentgthy investigation of drug dealing and violence that took place between 1996 and 1997.

District Attorney Brown identified the defendants as Uniko Carson,32, of 1 Walter Drive Woodbridge, New Jersey and Leroy Williams, 33, of 98-15 Horace Harding Expressway. Carson, the leader of the so-called "Uniko Crew" was convicted of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the first degree and Williams, a.k.a. "Bo", was convicted of criminal sale of a controlled substance following a one month jury trial before Supreme Court Justice William M. Erlbaum. They will be sentenced on March 1. Carson faces a minimim sentence of four years to life in prison and Williams, who is a predicate felon, faces a minimum of 15 years to life in jail.

District Attorney Brown said, "The conviction of these last two members of the four violent gangs who freely operated in the Lefrak City complex ends a multi-million dollar crack and powdered crack and marijuana operation that attempted to destroy the quality of life and safety of every tenant in the development. The management of Lefrak City cooperated fully in the initial investigation which was jointly carried out by detectives assigned to the New York City Police Department's Queens Narcotics District and by assistant district attorneys and investigators assigned to the District Attorney's Narcotics Investigations Bureau."

Assistant District Attorneys Mark Katz and Lynn Kurtz-Citron of the District Attorney's Narcotics Investigations Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Peter A. Crusco and under the overall supervision of Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney Robert D. Alexander, was in charge of the case.