"Operatioon Turkey Trot" Results in Arrest of 22 Defendants

November 20, 1999

OPERATION TURKEY TROT NETS 22 DEFENDANTS. GUNS AND DRUGS SEIZED

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown joined by Police Commissioner Howard Safir announced today that "Operation Turkey Trot" -- an initiative undertaken this week by the New York Police Department's Narcotics Borough Queens with the District Attorney's Narcotics Investigations Bureau, has resulted in the arrest of 22 individuals after search warrants were executed at eight locations in Queens including a drug packaging factory in an apartment in a City housing development.

District Attorney Brown said "During the last few days a task force of two hundred police officers and detectives armed with search warrants obtained by my office raided eight residential locations in South Jamaica, Jamaica and Glen Oaks. The raids are part of an ongoing effort by law enforcement to rid neighborhoods of the drug spots and stash houses that degrade the quality of life of the residents of those neighborhoods."

"Today's enforcement action resulted in 22 arrests and 8 search warrants," said New York City Police Commissioner Howard Safir. "More importantly, as part of the City's quality of life campaign, these efforts will also result in a safer and happier holiday for the Queens residents ridding their neighborhoods of the guns and drugs which were seized today. We will continue these types of enforcement efforts with the Queens District Attorney's Office to ensure everyone's safety."

During the course of Operation Turkey Trot police officers seized the following contraband: one sawed-off shotgun, a .380 loaded hand gun, bullet proof-vest, a stun gun, 210 bags of crack, two dozen tin foils of powdered cocaine, marijuana, heroin and $12,352 in cash. Twenty two defendants were arrested at various locations.

District Attorney Brown said that eight of the arrests occurred at an apartment located at 109-10 160^th Street in the South Jamaica Housing Development, one of the City oldest public housing development which consists of 27 five to seven story brick buildings and is home to over 2,500 people. "The apartment," said District Attorney Brown "served as a packaging factory of some significance. Upon entering the apartment, occupied by tenant Parice Gray, police officers discovered the defendants in possession of 189 bags of crack cocaine, 28 tin foil packets of powdered cocaine, 26 glassine envelopes containing heroin, 1000 empty glassine envelopes, scales, strainers and various other narcotics paraphernalia - - a clear indication that the apartment was being used to package drugs."

The defendants have been charged with a range of crimes including criminal possession and/or sale of a controlled substance. They face prison sentences ranging from one to twenty five years if convicted of the charges.

Assistant District Attorneys Philip Anderson, Anastasia Spanakos-Orfan, Kristen Gizzi, Natalya Kirsch, Joseph Brogan and of the District Attorney's Narcotics Investigations Bureau under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Peter A. Crusco and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Robert D. Alexander are in charge of the case.

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