News Release [print-friendly version]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2008
Erin Mulvey
Drug Enforcement Administration
212-337-2906

Leader of Bronx Crack Ring Sentenced In Manhattan Federal Court To 25 Years In Prison

SEPT 25 -- New York Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent-In-Charge John P. Gilbride and MICHAEL J. GARCIA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DANIEL DEANDRADE was sentenced on September 25, 2008 by United States District Judge LEONARD B. SAND to 300 months in prison for drug trafficking. Following a weeklong jury trial in Manhattan federal court, DEANDRADE, 33, was found guilty in April 2008 on charges of distributing, and conspiring to distribute, more than 50 grams of crack. According to documents filed in this case and proof at trial:

From 1999 through November 2006, DEANDRADE was the leader of a crack ring (“the Stratford Operation”) located in the vicinity of Stratford Avenue in the Bronx, New York, which distributed anywhere between 80 to 300 kilograms of crack over the course of its existence. To sustain his narcotics business, DEANDRADE ordered kilograms of cocaine that had been smuggled into the United States from Colombia and worked with others to cook the cocaine into crack in several apartments located in the Bronx. The crack was then sold on Stratford and Westchester Avenues in the Bronx by numerous individuals who worked for DEANDRADE.

From 2001 through October 2003, DEANDRADE was also the crack supplier for a narcotics ring located in Utica, New York (the “Utica Operation”) that sold crack, as well as cocaine, ecstasy, heroin and marijuana. DEANDRADE provided the Utica Operation with between 10 and 20 kilograms of crack.

Mr. GARCIA praised the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Group D-21 and the Utica Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys JULIAN J. MOORE and JOHN T. ZACH are in charge of the prosecution.