Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr., the Westchester County District Attorney, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Patrick J. Carroll, the Commissioner of the New Rochelle Police Department, announced the a coordinated operation earlier today in which federal, state, and local law enforcement officers arrested 36 defendants in Westchester County.  Nineteen defendants are charged in a federal indictment, unsealed today, charging them with conspiracy to distribute 500 grams and more of powder cocaine and 28 grams and more of crack cocaine in and around New Rochelle, New York, since at least in or about September 2017.  The Westchester County District Attorney has charged an additional 23 defendants.  Those defendants arrested today who are charged in the federal indictment are expected to be presented in White Plains federal court today before Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison. 

 

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “Today, we have charged 19 defendants with running a narcotics organization in New Rochelle, New York.  These men allegedly conspired to sell large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine.  I commend our law enforcement partners for their work to keep our streets free of illegal drugs and the dangers they present.”

 

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “The speed with which this group of alleged drug dealers was investigated and arrested should serve as a warning to others who look to fill the void.  Our FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and our outstanding partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies allow everyone to act with an agility that only gets sharper with each new case.  These arrests will have a significant impact on the criminal underbelly in the Westchester County area, and we won't stop working each day to make these communities safer.”

 

Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. said:  “I congratulate the New Rochelle Police Department and the FBI for the success of this important effort to stop the flow of illegal narcotics into our communities.  We are pleased to join with our colleagues in law enforcement in an ongoing collaborative effort to combat this serious problem.”

 

New Rochelle Police Commissioner Patrick J. Carroll said:  “I am proud of the dedicated efforts of our members and those of our law enforcement partners which resulted in the indictments and arrests of these individuals.  New Rochelle will not tolerate the sale of drugs, or the violent crimes that are associated with the narcotic trade.  This sends a strong message of our dedication to clearing our community of these dangerous substances.”

 

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court[1]:

 

From at least in or about September 2017 up to and including December 2017, ANDRE FRANCIS, a/k/a “Huddy,” a/k/a “Hut,” RAYMOND GILKES, a/k/a “Fresh,” KRISHNA RAGHUBAR, JOSE ACEVEDO, a/k/a “Cake,” ANTHONY JACKSON, a/k/a “Razor,” a/k/a “Worm,” DEVAUGHN BLAKEY, a/k/a “Natron,” CHRIS MABRY, ERIC LANDRINE, a/k/a “E Waterz,” DAVID TUCKER, a/k/a “Prince,” KAREEM PARNELL, a/k/a “Goofy,” JERRY AUGUSTINE, a/k/a “Juice,” JASON ORTEGA, a/k/a “Fetty,” RAKEEM JONES, RYAN HINES, a/k/a “Mooch,” DAVID THOMAS, CHANJU CARROL, a/k/a “Choo,” JACK BENJAMIN, KENDALL MILLER, a/k/a “Swin,” and TROY WILCOX conspired to distribute 28 grams and more of crack cocaine and 500 grams and more of powder cocaine.

 

The defendants each face a maximum term of 40 years in prison, and a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison.  The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by the respective judges.

 

The Indictment arises from a joint investigation by the FBI’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force and the City of New Rochelle Police Department.

 

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the New Rochelle Police Department.  Mr. Kim also thanked the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for its ongoing coordination in the case.

 

These cases are being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Celia V. Cohen and Berit W. Berger are in charge of the prosecutions.

 

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.                                       

 



[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.