Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Alejandro Rodriguez was indicted by a grand jury and arraigned in Supreme Court on charges of criminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes. Rodriguez is accused of supplying a large quantity of narcotics to an undercover officer over the course of five months. A subsequent search of the defendant’s home resulted in the recovery of cocaine, a handgun and 20 rounds of ammunition.

District Attorney Katz said: “Illicit drug sales fuel addictions that destroy lives and violence that endangers our communities. We will not relent in our efforts to remove this poison from our streets and hold accused dealers accountable. I thank my Major Economic Crimes Bureau as well as our law enforcement partners for their commitment to those we serve.”

Rodriguez, 43, of 91st Street in Jackson Heights, Queens, was arraigned yesterday before Queens Supreme Court Judge Toni M. Cimino on an 18-count indictment charging him with 14 counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the first and third degrees; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree; two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second and third degrees; and criminal possession of a firearm.

If convicted, Rodriguez faces up to 20 years in prison. Judge Cimino ordered the defendant to return to Court on December 6, 2022.

The District Attorney’s Major Economic Crimes Bureau in conjunction with the NYPD’s Queens Violent Crime Squad conducted the investigation utilizing undercover buys and court-authorized search warrants. An undercover detective posing as a buyer met with the defendant on numerous occasions from June 1 through October 5.

According to the indictment, a total of seven transactions took place during which Rodriguez sold more than 14 ounces of cocaine to the undercover officer.

On October 19, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant for the home of the defendant. They recovered an additional quantity of cocaine 60 grams, an unlicensed .45 caliber handgun and 20 rounds of ammunition. The defendant was arrested at the time of the search and an additional 100 grams of cocaine were recovered from his person.

Assistant District Attorney Kieran Linehan, Supervisor in the District Attorney’s Major Economic Crimes Bureau, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Mary Lowenburg, Bureau Chief, Assistant District Attorney Catherine Kane, Senior Deputy Bureau Chief, Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Scharf, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney of Investigations Gerard Brave.