SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – A federal grand jury has indicted 12 members of a Syracuse-based drug trafficking organization that distributed more than two kilograms of heroin and mixtures of heroin and fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division.

United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith stated: “Heroin and fentanyl kill tens of thousands every year. Each and every death causes unfathomable suffering and grief for loved ones, and the magnitude of overdose deaths reverberates in our communities.  Holding dealers who peddle this poison accountable is essential in turning this tide.  We will continue to work with the Drug Enforcement Administration to investigate and prosecute those who profit from the tragedy of addiction.”

“DEA’s job is to save lives,” said Ray Donovan, DEA Special Agent in Charge. “Today’s arrests are significant because we arrested 12 opioid traffickers allegedly responsible for fueling the deadliest drug crisis in U.S. history. In addition to the arrests, we seized over a million dollars-worth of heroin/fentanyl, which would supply every ticket holder at a sold-out event in the Carrier Dome at least one dose of death.  I commend our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York on this exceptional investigation.”

In connection with this investigation, law enforcement officers led by DEA seized more than 67,000 individual bags of heroin and mixtures of heroin and fentanyl, which weighed more than two kilograms; $78,000 in drug proceeds; 11 vehicles; and two handguns.

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

The defendants are all charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl, and they face the following potential penalties:



Defendant





Age





Residence





Minimum





Maximum





Jesus Manuel Lopez-Mendez





34





New York City

(the Bronx)





10 years





Life





Gavin Ballog





29





Syracuse





10 years





Life





Yan Morales





29





Syracuse





10 years





Life





Brian Morales





28





Syracuse





10 years





Life





Juan Santa





27





Syracuse





10 years





Life





Jerry Massa





21





Syracuse





5 years





40 years





Ariel Massa





18





Syracuse





5 years





40 years





Carlos Torres





24





Syracuse





5 years





40 years





Gregorio Pizarro





20





Syracuse





None





20 years





Gregory Darrain





29





Syracuse





None





20 years





Michael Calderon





24





Syracuse





None





20 years





Dennis Smith





32





East Syracuse





None





20 years



Ballog, Bryan Morales, Santa, and Lopez-Mendez are also charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.  Ballog is charged with two counts of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.  Morales is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. Juan Santa is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.  Lopez-Mendez is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.  The indictment also contains forfeiture allegations.

A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

Eleven defendants have appeared in federal court in Syracuse and were held without bail pending detention hearings scheduled for next week.  Defendants Ballog, Yan Morales, Brian Morales, and Santa were arrested and charged by criminal complaint on February 2, 2019.  Lopez-Mendez was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on February 11, 2019.  The remaining defendants were arrested this week, except for Gregory Darrain, who is a fugitive. 

This case is being investigated by the DEA Syracuse Resident Office HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Group consisting of agents and officers of the DEA, the New York State Police, and the City of Auburn (New York) Police Department, Syracuse Police Department, Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, and investigators from the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Four men from Syracuse and one from New York City (the Bronx) have been charged with operating a heroin distribution ring from which investigators seized over 62,000 individual bags of heroin, totaling in excess of two kilograms, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division. 

The following men are charged in two federal criminal complaints with being members of a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and fentanyl:

Gavin Ballog, 29, Syracuse, New York

Yan Morales, 29, Syracuse, New York

Brian Morales, 28, Syracuse, New York

Juan Santa, 27, Syracuse, New York

Jesus Manuel Lopez Mendez, 34, New York City (the Bronx)

Defendants Ballog, Y. Morales, B. Morales, and Santa were arrested and charged on February 2, 2019. Jesus Manuel Lopez Mendez was in the custody of immigration authorities when he was arrested and charged today.  The criminal complaints allege the seizure of over 62,000 individual bags of heroin, totaling in excess of two kilograms, and two handguns, as part of an investigation utilizing court-ordered wiretaps. All five defendants have appeared in federal court in Syracuse and are held without bail. The charges filed against the five men carry mandatory minimum sentences of ten years and maximum sentences of life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

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

This case is being investigated by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the New York State Police, and the City of Auburn (New York) Police Department, and Investigators from the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman.