Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Crack Cocaine and Illegally Possessing 10 Firearms

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Ronald Bishop pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute crack cocaine on Long Island between 2014 and 2016 and illegally possessing 10 firearms in furtherance of his narcotics trafficking operation.  The proceeding took place before United States Magistrate Judge Gary R. Brown.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division, and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), announced the guilty plea.

According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, in January 2016 the NCPD Gang Investigation Squad executed a search warrant at a residence Bishop operated as a stash house and recovered 10 firearms, including four pistols, three revolvers, a shotgun, two assault rifles, high capacity magazines, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, over seven grams of crack cocaine, assorted pills, drug paraphernalia and cash.

“Ronald Bishop’s stash house contained an arsenal of firearms as well as illegal drugs, posing a great danger to the community,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to bring to justice armed drug dealers who put our communities at risk.”  Mr. Donoghue expressed his thanks to the NCPD for their efforts in the investigation and the ATF for their assistance in the prosecution of the case. 

“Ronald Bishop conspired to deal in deadly illegal narcotics and possessed illegal firearms,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Benedict.  “ATF and its law enforcement partners stand united in the fight to keep communities safe from those who seek to do harm to their fellow residents. I would like to thank the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the ATF Long Island Field Office and the NCPD for their collaborative efforts on this case. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the United States Attorney’s Office for their work in prosecuting the case.”

When sentenced, Bishop faces up to life in prison with a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, as well as forfeiture and a fine of up to $5,000,000.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Maffei is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

RONALD BISHOP
Age: 36
Hempstead, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-494 (SJF)