Friday, January 14, 2005
SOUTHEAST QUEENS DRUG RING ACCUSED OF DISTRIBUTING UP TO $15 MILLION A YEAR IN COCAINE CLOSED DOWN IN UNDERCOVER OPERATION; DOZEN ALLEGED MEMBERS ARRESTED AND 43 KILOS OF COCAINE, 18 DEADLY WEAPONS, $500,000 IN CASH AND FIVE LUXURY VEHICLES SEIZED
Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly announced today the arrest on drug conspiracy and weapons possession charges of 12 alleged members of a distribution ring based in Southeast Queens accused of dealing up to $15 million a year in cocaine and the seizure of 43 kilos of cocaine, 18 lethal weapons, over $500,000 in cash and five luxury vehicles.
District Attorney Brown said, “The defendants have been variously charged with felony drug possession, conspiracy and weapons possession and are accused of being part of an operation dealing in drugs and gun violence in St. Albans, Laurelton and Springfield Gardens. The charges are the result of hundreds of hours of investigation and surveillance over an almost two-year period.”
Police Commissioner Kelly said, “This case is a perfect example of how the Police Department removes the narcotics trade layer by layer. We took down an operation in 2002 which revealed more wrongdoing and our detectives immediately went to work. Technology and physical surveillance allowed police officers to figure out the entire operation from the bosses to the couriers.”
Two of the defendants have been identified as Tarique Brown, 28, of 119-29 202nd Street in St. Albans, Queens and Stean Aulder, 29, of 122-24 Grayson Street in Jamaica, Queens. The defendants have been charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, Conspiracy in the Second Degree and Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree and face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. The ten other defendants are facing similar charges.
According to the charges, the defendants between October 1, 2004 and January 12, 2005 conspired to possess and sell narcotics with others as part of an illicit drug distribution operation.
It is alleged that their criminal conduct was discovered in an undercover investigation that used physical and electronic surveillance.
It is alleged that as part of the conspiracy the defendants in October, November and December engaged in conversations in which they agreed to supply cocaine in various amounts up to 60 grams and used cell phones to complete the transactions.
It is further alleged that NYPD detectives on January 11, 2005 executed a court authorized search warrant drafted by the District Attorney’s Narcotics Investigations Bureau at defendant Aulder’s residence at 122-24 Grayson Street in Jamaica, Queens and recovered white powder from under the steps of a basement stairway, an electronic scale and numerous empty glassines.
It is additionally alleged that NYPD detectives on January 12, 2005 executed a search warrant at defendant Brown’s residence at 119-29 202nd Street in Jamaica, Queens and recovered a quantity of crack cocaine from a bedroom dresser, and an electronic scale, three boxes of corn starch and numerous empty ziplock plastic bags from a closet.
The investigation called “Operation Sequel” began in October, 2004 and grew out of a previous drug investigation in 2002.
According to District Attorney Brown and Police Commissioner Kelly, the investigation -- which is ongoing -- has resulted in 12 arrests, and the seizure of 43 kilos of cocaine, 18 handguns, about $500,000 in cash and five luxury vehicles.
District Attorney Brown and Police Commissioner Kelly expressed their appreciation to the Nassau County District Attorney’s office and the Nassau County Police Department as well as the Brooklyn District Attorney’s office for their assistance in the investigation.
The investigation was conducted by Detectives Carlyle Preudhomme and Erton Rudder of the NYPD’s Organized Crime Investigation Division under the supervision of Sergeant Felipe Rodriguez and Lieutenant Brian Verwert and the overall supervision of Inspector Brian O’Neill, Commanding Officer, Organized Crime Investigation Division, and the overall supervision of Chief Douglas Ziegler of the Organized Crime Control Bureau.
Assistant District Attorneys Mark L. Katz, Supervisor, and Paul Cardon of the District Attorney's Narcotics Investigations Bureau are prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Wilbert J. LeMelle, Bureau Chief, Karen J. Friedman, Deputy Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Peter A. Crusco and Assistant District Attorney Linda M. Cantoni, Counsel to the Investigations Division.
It should be noted that criminal charges are merely an accusation and that defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.