Superseding Indictment Unsealed Yesterday Also Charges 12 Defendants With
Firearms Offenses

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Wilbert Plummer, Acting Special-Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Raymond W. Kelly, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York (“NYPD”), today announced charges against 25 additional members of a criminal organization based in the Allerton Avenue Co-ops and the Parkside Houses in the Bronx, New York for conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Thirty of the 55 defendants charged in the Superseding Indictment, which was unsealed yesterday, were originally charged by complaint in November 2011.  The Superseding Indictment also charges 12 of the defendants with possessing, brandishing and discharging firearms in connection with, and in furtherance of, the crack cocaine conspiracy.

Of the 25 new defendants charged yesterday, 11 were taken into custody as part of a coordinated operation involving federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, eight are in state custody on other charges, and six remain at large.  All 30 of the defendants previously charged were arrested in November and December 2011, and the majority remain detained.  Ten of the defendants in custody were presented in Manhattan federal court yesterday afternoon.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “These arrests mark another step forward in our ongoing efforts to clean up the Bronx and to rid its communities of drugs and guns. The defendants we charged yesterday, along with the 30 members previously charged, is a significant dismantling of these allegedly violent drug trafficking crews, and we hope, real relief from crime in these neighborhoods. But we are far from finished and our efforts will continue unabated.”

Acting DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Wilbert L. Plummer said: “These arrests prove that our Drug Task Force and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and arrest organizations who use violence and distribute illegal drugs throughout our communities.  Our goal is to keep our neighborhoods safe from drug abuse and the violence associated.”

NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said: “Everyday, NYPD officers work to disrupt and deter the vicious cycle of illegal narcotics and street violence that destroys the City's poorest neighborhoods.  I commend the undercover officers who risked their lives in this case to better those of others, and the investigators in the DEA who worked with the NYPD to shut down these crack-cocaine dealers in the Allerton Avenue Co-ops and the Parkside Houses.”

As alleged in the Superseding Indictment and other documents filed in Manhattan federal court:

Between October 2006 and December 2011, undercover officers with the NYPD made hundreds of purchases of “crack” cocaine from drug dealers in the Allerton Avenue Co-ops and Parkside Houses.  During the buys, officers were able to purchase significant street level quantity of crack seven days a week, and 24-hours a day.  In addition, members of the drug trafficking organization used firearms, threats of violence and violence to secure and enforce their drug territory.

MARQUIS BRANCH, BERNARD MILES, YACKEEM McFARLANE, ELVIN SKELTON, ARMANI CUMMINGS, BENNY MONDAY, CHRISTOPHER NWANKO, BRYAN RHODES, DASEAN RHODES, JOELL TOMLINSON, JAMES EVANS, RICHARD POLITE, FAHEEM TAYLOR, JUSTIN FREYTES, ALLEN COLON, JAMEL WRIGHT, CHRISTOPHER POLANCO, CHARLES MATTHEWS, CARLOS PONCE, RICHARD BARNWELL, SHAWN WEDDERBURN, CAROLIN PEREZ, IRIS CLASE, KAREN BAXTON, VERLERIA THOMAS, TWILER HOWARD, JUANITA TUCKER, DONNELL HARRIS, CLYDE JONES, JEFFREY PRESSLEY, VICTOR ANDRADES, TROY OWENS, RASHEED BINNS, JOSHUA PERRINGTON, JERRY BUTLER, BASIL JAMISON, KENNETH ACKLES, FELIPE ACEVEDO, JOSE NICOLE, NICOLAS MILLS, MICHAEL THOMPSON, DIMITRI ALVARADO, GREGORY MILLS, THEODORE JOHNSON, ANTHONY WASHINGTON, SHAWN LIPSCOMB, RODNEY HINES, SLAIGAN BAKER, DAVID IRIZARRY, FREDERICK TOMLINSON, DENNIS BYNUM, ANITA GARRET, WAYNE LOWERY, LOUIS CARATTINI, and LATASHA JOHNSON are charged with conspiring to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

McFARLANE, NWANKO, CUMMINGS, RHODES, COLON, MATTHEWS, MILES, PONCE, SKELTON, ANDRADES, JOHNSON and NICOLE are also charged with possessing, brandishing and discharging firearms in connection with the drug crimes.

*                      *                     *

A chart containing the ages, residency information, and charges against the defendants, as well as the maximum penalties they face is attached.

Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA and the NYPD.  He added that the investigation is continuing.

The prosecution of this case is being overseen by the Office's Violent Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Hadassa Waxman, Timothy D. Sini, and Michael Ferrara are in charge of the prosecution.

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

U.S. v. Marquis Branch, et al. S1 Indictment

 

DEFENDANT	AGE	RESIDENCE	CHARGES	MAX PENALITY
MARQUIS BRANCH	35	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
BERNARD MILES	23	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearm	Life
YACKEEM McFARLANE	23	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearms	Life
ELVIN SKELTON	25	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearm	Life
ARMANI CUMMINGS	21	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearms	Life
BENNY MONDAY	37	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
CHRISTOPHER NWANKO	28	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearms	Life
BRYAN RHODES	23	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
DASEAN RHODES	21	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearm	Life
JOELL TOMLINSON	22	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
JAMES EVANS	22	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
RICHARD POLITE	23	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
FAHEEM TAYLOR	23	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
JUSTIN FREYTES	22	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
ALLEN COLON	21	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearm	Life
JAMEL WRIGHT	27	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
CHRISTOPHER POLANCO	27	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
CHARLES MATTHEWS	21	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearm	Life
CARLOS PONCE	21	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearm	Life
RICHARD BARNWELL	21	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
SHAWN WEDDERBURN	19	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
CAROLIN PEREZ	28	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
IRIS CLASE	27	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
KAREN BAXTON	52	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
VERLERIA THOMAS	30	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
TWILER HOWARD	51	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
JUANITA TUCKER	52	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
DONNELL HARRIS	25	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
CLYDE JONES	38	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
JEFFREY PRESSLY	47	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
VICTOR ANDRADES	22	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearm	Life
TROY OWENS	24	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
RASHEED BINNS	32	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
JOSHUA PERRINGTON	22	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
JERRY BUTLER	46	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
BASIL JAMISON	22	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
KENNETH ACKLES	24	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
FELIPE ACEVEDO	28	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
JOSE NICOLE	26	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearm	Life
NICOLAS MILLS	24	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
MICHAEL THOMPSON	20	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
DIMITRI ALVARADO	19	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
GREGORY MILLS	26	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
THEODORE JOHNSON	28	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy; Use of firearm	Life
ANTHONY WASHINGTON	40	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
SHWAN LIPSCOMB	37	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
RODNEY HINES	40	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
SLAIGAN BAKER	24	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
DAVID IRIZARRY	39	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
FREDRICK TOMLINSON	34	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
DENNIS BYNUM	47	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
ANITA GARRET	53	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
WAYNE LOWERY	48	Incarcerated	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
LOUIS CARRATTINI	50	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life
LATASHA JOHNSON	41	Bronx, NY	Narcotics conspiracy	Life

 

12-217

 

 

 

 

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