Tuesday, March 30, 2004

D.A. BROWN: THREE CHARGED IN 11.5 KILO COCAINE SEIZURE WITH $1.6 MILLION STREET VALUE STOCKPILED IN FAR ROCKAWAY APARTMENT

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown today announced that three alleged drug dealers have been charged in a large seizure of 11.5 kilograms of cocaine -- with a street value of $1.6 million -- recovered during a New York City Police Department anti-crime/anti-violence/anti-drug initiative in Far Rockaway, Queens.

District Attorney Brown said, “The defendants have been charged with illegal drug possession and accused of warehousing a significant stockpile of cocaine. The charges are the result of an investigation into large-scale narcotics dealing in Queens County by the NYPD’s Queens Narcotics Division in conjunction with my Narcotics Investigation Bureau.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Ramon Reynoso, 34, Leida Del Carmen Rodriguez, 35, and Edwin Rosario, 19, all of 2210 Brookhaven Avenue in Far Rockaway, Queens. The defendants have been charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree and face up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

District Attorney Brown said that the defendants were arraigned last Friday in Queens Criminal Court before Judge Gene Lopez. The judge remanded without bail defendants Reynoso and Rosario, set bail of $300,000 for defendant Rodriguez and set return dates of April 12, 2004 for defendants Reynoso and Rodriguez and April 22, 2004 for defendant Rosario.

The District Attorney said that detectives executed a search warrant at a fifth-floor apartment at 2210 Brookhaven Avenue in Far Rockaway, discovered that the residence was being used to store and package narcotics and recovered nine kilogram “bricks” of cocaine as well as three bags containing an additional two-plus kilograms of cocaine, a scale used to measure the drugs and various packaging materials including plastic bags.

Police and prosecutors have maintained a continuing focus on drug-dealing and drug-based violence that has afflicted the Far Rockaway community.

District Attorney Brown said, “Police and prosecutors are continuing to work closely with the community and leaders in Far Rockaway to develop information about illegal narcotics that leads to arrest, prosecution and long prison sentences. The cooperation of law-abiding citizens is a key component in law enforcement’s efforts to improve public safety and the quality of life of the beleaguered neighborhood.”

The investigation was conducted by New York City Police Department Detectives Robert Bell and Leslie Johnson, Sergeant Bryan McNulty, Lieutenants David Sweeney and John Hennig, and Captain Javier Rivera under the supervision of Deputy Inspector John Essig and the overall supervision of Assistant Chief Anthony Izzo of the Narcotics Division and Chief Douglas Ziegler of the Organized Crime Control Bureau.

Assistant District Attorney Daniel S. Bresnahan of the District Attorney’s Narcotics Investigations Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Wilbert J. Le Melle, Chief, Gregory C. Pavlides, Deputy Chief, and Karen J. Friedman, Supervisor, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Peter A. Crusco and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Linda M. Cantoni.

It should be noted that criminal charges are merely accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.