June 28, 1999

SIXTEEN ARRESTED IN FOUR MONTH UNDERCOVER NARCOTICS INVESTIGATION AT REDFERN AND EDGEMERE HOUSES. SEVERAL ALLEGED 'BLOODS' ARRESTED ALONG WITH OTHER CREWS

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown and New York City Police officials announced today the arrest of 16 individuals including six alleged members of the Bloods gang in and around Far Rockaway's Redfern and Edgemere Houses as a result of a four month undercover investigation into drug dealing at the two city housing developments.

District Attorney Brown said, "During the last few days, police officers and detectives assigned to the Queens South Narcotics District executed a series of seven search warrants for locations in the Redfern and Edgemere Houses obtained by assistant district attorneys in my Narcotics Investigations Bureau. Among the contraband seized by the police during the execution of the warrants were a .32 caliber revolver, 90 rounds of ammunition, an aggregate ½ kilo of cocaine and $2277 in cash."

District Attorney Brown said, "These arrests come on the heels of several long term investigations into narcotics dealing at other housing developments including: Lefrak City, the Edgemere Houses, the Forties Houses and the Baisley Park Houses. The latest initiative coupled with the prior lengthy investigations should demonstrate to the drug dealers plying their wares that we are determined to get them out of the developments."

District Attorney Brown continued, "It would appear that despite a series of arrests at the Edgemere Houses carried out last February against a gang known as the Regulators that groups including some Bloods are seeking to fill the void. I commend the Police Department for keeping on top of this critical situation for the benefit of the people living in the developments."

During the course of the investigation which began last March, undercover officers allegedly purchased drugs from the defendants on at least two dozen occasions.

Among those arrested at the Edgemere Houses were Amar Bell, 22, of 409 Beach 51st Street; Antwon Tolliver, 21, of 56-10 Beach Channel Street; Eric Scarborough, 19, of 54-15 Almeda Avenue; Eric Eddy, 17, of 604 Beach 65th Street, Robert Bailey, 21, of 54-09 Almeda Avenue; Richard Witlock, 18, of 13-21 McBride Street.

Each of the defendants is charged with possession and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. Of the 16 total defendants, 11 were arrested at the Redfern Houses. The defendants face up to 25 in prison if convicted of the charges.

The arrests were carried out by detectives and officers of the Queens South Narcotics District which is under the command of Inspector John H. Regan and Deputy Inspector Frederick E. Britton. The investigation was conducted by Police Officers Richard Aichinger, Rosita Bellington and Robert Bell and Detectives Gerald Farrell and Patrick O'Brien under the supervision of Lt. John O'Mahoney and Capt. Kevin Fitzgerald. Assistant District Attorney Joel R. Meyers of the District Attorney's Narcotics Bureau, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Peter A. Crusco and Deputy Bureau Chief Wilbert J. LeMelle and the overall supervision of Executive District Attorney Robert D. Alexander, is in charge of the prosecution.

It is to be noted that an arrest is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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