Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. "These defendants allegedly pushed heroin and oxycodone for months, contributing to the opioid plague that has caused great suffering on Staten Island," United States Attorney Robert Capers said. "Because there are so many guns on the street and the policies that are in place for bail reform are not working, the people of this city are not safe," said Paul DiGiacomo, President, Detectives Endowment Association. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The U.S. Attorney's Office said eight people were arrested on Staten Island and Brooklyn, and the other was picked up in Arizona. Three of them were previously hit with weapons charges as police recovered firearms throughout the duration of the long-term bust, prosecutors said. It was part of a major NYPD bust in which cops seized $350,000 in cash, 4.3 pounds of cocaine, and arrested 23 people. All Rights Reserved. Garone also sold the pills to Andrew Mason. Libretti then turned around to face the bedroom the man ran into, the source said. Our detective sustained a gunshot wound to the lower leg in a small compartment area that is populated by large vessels and nerves, Kleinman said. For them, the crisis provided an opportunity to charge some of the highest prices for cocaine seen in New York City in recent years, Brennan said. NEW YORK - An NYPD detective executing a search warrant with his narcotics team at a known drug house was shot in the leg Thursday in the New Springville section of Staten Island, said NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Attorney General James would also like to thank the Randolph, Massachusetts Police Department, the New York State Department of Healths Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, the New York City Department of Investigation, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and the DEA Diversion Task Force for their assistance with the investigation. Police conducted another court-authorized search of a storage unit allegedly associated with Rivera on July 15, 2020 at a location on 4th Avenue in Sunset Park and found two firearms with no serial numbers, a bulletproof vest, ammunition and approximately $60,000 cash packed into vacuum sealed bags containing $20,000 each and labeled with different dates. A search warrant for Luis Rodriguezs home was executed on July 17 and found small, blue ziplock bags authorities said are used for the packaging of narcotics. An ex-con accused of shooting an NYPD detective during a Staten Island drug bust was sprung from jail Wednesday after former Green Bay Packers running back Ryan Grant helped secure bail, sources told The Post. The fact that an individual who shot an NYPD detective is walking the streets of our city is a slap in the face to every dedicated member of law enforcement, said Paul DiGiacomo, president of the Detectives Endowment Association. Officers knew that Pizarro would be in the Rockne Street apartment because they previously determined he pays rent there, the chief said. Other officers fired back striking the gunman in the leg. Over the next two months, authorities said Rivera allegedly obtained at least five kilograms of cocaine that totaled a combined wholesale value of up to $250,000. We have an 11-month-old child struck by a stray bullet and multiple shootings throughout the whole city of New York. Wearing wings and waving a wand, Turk appears in a Staten Island-set music video called "My World Is Blue," which lauds drug use in the borough, referred to as "painkiller paradise," and pokes fun at the prospect of being busted by authorities, the NYPD said. The detective, identified by police sources as Dominick Libretti, suffered a potential career-ending injury when Nelson Pizarro, 39, allegedly fired numerous shots inside the building on Rockne Street near Ellwood Avenue in Heartland Village around 6 a.m., cops said. The shooting comes as gun violence continues to plague the city. Drugs seized at 12 different locations during the investigation include 595 Oxycodone pills, 300 Vicodin pills, 300 Xanax pills, 250 grams of cocaine, 209 glassines of heroin and 16 ounces of marijuana, the NYPD said. We thank Attorney General Letitia James for her work on this case and her continued partnership in keeping the public safe.. On Twitter, police showed The 16-year-old remained hospitalized. Police! A 9 mm handgun was recovered at the scene of a shooting of an NYPD narcotics detective on Staten Island. Rodriguezs attorney information was not immediately available. WebSTATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A Staten Island man charged with shooting a detective during a drug raid in New Springville has been released from police custody after posting half a Libretti a 10-year veteran who has received numerous medals and commendations and had never previously fired his weapon on the job was the second NYPD cop shot in as many days, and the third shot since the start of the year, authorities said. Michael Brown of the 200 block of St. Marks Place, also known as JD Chico, stands accused of selling cocaine to an undercover officer on two separate occasions in January on Staten Island. Here's why. WebNEW YORK New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the indictment of 16 individuals for their roles in trafficking prescription opioids and cocaine in Brooklyn, Lazzaro said Saturday that friends and family members put up the 10% cash outlay to secure the bond and he didnt know if Grant was among them. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in that case in exchange for a six-year-prison sentence. His identity was not released. Girls high school basketball team forfeits a game because it refused to play against a team with a transgender player, Fox Leaders Wanted to Break From Trump but Struggled to Make It Happen, Not Going to Read That: White House Press Secretary Brushes Off DeSantis Op-Ed, Sunshine returns to SoCal on Thursday but cold temps stick around, Wake-Up Weather: AM showers then mild and breezy, Government must build a better process for infrastructure projects | Opinion, Beware Brightline; DeSantis, scripture & liberty; the new poles; Ukraine | Letters March 2. "The NYPD is committed to holding accountable those who are responsible for this deadly flow of poison and ensuring they are brought to justice.". Since launching in 2017, SURGE has taken 738 alleged traffickers off the streets. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How A source said Friday that family and friends of the defendant pooled together the cash, which represents 10% of a $5 million bond set by a judge earlier this year in state Supreme Court, St. George. When the guy opens fire, a lot of those bullets hit the shield and a couple of them went under the shield, which is the one that hit him in the [right] leg, the source said. Pizarro has an extensive criminal record that includes gun and narcotics convictions, records show. ** WEB EXTRA: Watch video of police walking the suspects in the player above **. They were removed from the apartment. Those prices, authorities said, came as access to cocaine was extremely limited during the height of the pandemic, which caused a markup of nearly 30% to 50% over the typical price. In the second Indictment, Andrew Mason is charged with conspiring with Garone and Thomas Schillizzi to purchase oxycodone pills for resale in Brooklyn. Copyright 2009-2018, New York Public Radio. From going after the manufacturers and distributors fueling the opioid crisis, to cracking down on those who are illegally trafficking and distributing opioids and other drugs throughout our state, we are tackling this crisis from every angle to prevent death and destruction. NEW YORK New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the indictment of 16 individuals for their roles in trafficking prescription opioids and cocaine in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. Prosecutors said the ring sold heroin and/or oxycodone from September 2016 to January 2017. Two women were also arrested. All rights reserved (About Us). The Division for Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Jos Maldonado, and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. All rights reserved (About Us). The DEA said there the number of fatalities associated with heroin and oxycodone drug overdoses in New York City over the past five years has skyrocketed. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Judge Lisa Grey sent Pizarro to jail without bail. This is a possibly a career-ending injury and certainly a life-threatening injury. NYPD Detective Dominick Libretti leaves the hospital Monday with his family and fellow officers by his side. The relationship between Grant and Pizarro wasnt immediately clear. Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. This case is a perfect example of the cooperation required between local departments, the Attorney General's Office, and the Waterfront Commission's personnel to fight the trafficking of illegal opioids and cocaine across jurisdictional boundaries, said Warwick Police Chief Thomas McGovern. He said Pizarro was now on home confinement. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Authorities said the subject of the raid was Anthony Marshall, then 40, after an investigation deemed that major amounts of drugs were being dealt through the location. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. An alleged major trafficker is among 10 charged, and two guns were seized. One Staten Islander charged among Brooklyn drug bust. Luis Rodriguez; Angel Rodriguez, 42, of Queens; Bruce Williams, 44, of Brooklyn; Kevin Pedraza, 30, of Brooklyn; Rafael Lopez, 34, of Brooklyn; and Raymond Pedraza, 30, of Brooklyn, were arraigned previously, according to a release. WebNYPD: 8 suspects arrested in drug raid at Staten Island apartment; loaded gun allegedly hidden in pillowcase silive.com - Staten Island Advance 4h STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The NYPD arrested eight people in the raid of an apartment in Stapleton where officers allege they uncovered an array of drugs Read more on silive.com Policing Staten Island He was shot in the leg when police returned fire. Todays takedown was the result of a 20-month investigation led by the Office of the Attorney Generals (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) with support from the Warwick Police Department and the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor. The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor remains committed to working with all its law enforcement partners to eliminate the scourge of illegal narcotics in the Port District and elsewhere in the metropolitan area, said Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor New York Commissioner Paul Weinstein. Garone and Calatozzo bought oxycodone pills from various individuals, including Rosario Caruso a/k/a The Italian Kid and John McAvoy a/k/a Henry. McAvoy, on several occasions, acquired the oxycodone pills from Pennsylvania and then trafficked the pills back to Calatozzo for resale. WebThe Staten Island home where Pizarro allegedly shot at NYPD officers. ties, harrowing FBI chase set to begin in federal court, BMW carjack-attempt in Oakwood shopping plaza lands suspect, 20, in prison, Man assaulted by Staten Island Rangers fan at NYCs Madison Square Garden sues attacker, venue. Even with a serious leg wound, bleeding badly enough that fellow officers had to apply immediate pressure to slow the blood loss, he held a ballistic shield in front of his team to protect them from gunfire, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said after the shooting. As outlined in the first indictment, 15 defendants are charged for their roles in three conspiracies in which the defendants sold and possessed oxycodone pills and cocaine throughout New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. He was expected to undergo surgery and make a full recovery. The NYPD detective who was shot during a drug bust on Staten Island was released from the hospital Monday afternoon. Two days later, police found a vacuum sealer and $83,300 in cash in his Myrtle Avenue home in Queens. Riveras attorney information was not immediately available on online court records. The investigation began before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in August 2019 following a nonfatal overdose near the Farragut Houses in Brooklyn, authorities said, after members of a street level organization tied to that overdose sold narcotics, including heroin, fentanyl and cocaine, to undercover officers over 20 times totaling approximately $16,000 in sales. Libretti was taken in stable condition to Staten Island University North Hospital, where NYPD Supervising Chief Surgeon Eli Kleinman said he will undergo surgery. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell hailed the detective as a hero at a morning press conference. Members of the Narcotics Bureau breached the property on Rockne Street at around 6 a.m., authorities said. The investigation was a joint effort by federal and local law enforcement agencies. Todays takedown marks the latest major drug bust in the OAGs Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (SURGE) Initiative, a law enforcement effort that brings together state and local law enforcement to target New Yorks growing and often violent heroin, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. ET at 82 Rockne St., executed a search warrant issued by the Staten Island District Attorneys Office. 2023, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. Both were taken into custody and have prior gun and drug arrests. Unfortunately the Appellate Division got this wrong and made a ruling I vigorously disagree with, Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon said. Pizarro, who also goes by the nickname Pizz, was taken into custody and brought to Richmond University Medical Center in stable condition. Joseph Ostapiuk | jostapiuk@siadvance.com. In April, the Appellate Division set bail at $2.5 million cash and $5 million bond. Pizarros release is an obvious example of the absurdity of Albanys protect the rights of alleged criminals and screw the victims approach. Copyright 2009-2018, DNAinfo. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Attorney Mario Gallucci, who is representing Brown, maintained his clients innocence. January 30, 2020 / 6:13 PM / CBS New York NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The NYPD uncovered a large stash of drugs during raid on Staten Island. Drug Traffickers Used Staten Island Barber Shop To Sell Drugs And Oversee Gun Sales October 17, 2013 Contact: Phone Number: (212) 337-3900 For Immediate Release Drug Traffickers Used Staten Island Barber Shop To Sell Drugs And Oversee Gun Sales Three targets arrested; 4 illegal guns and quantity of drugs recovered Watch unedited video of police walking suspects arrested in a heroin ring on Staten Island. He was struck in the right inner leg, authorities said. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Those charged in todays two indictments include: NEIL GARONEa/k/a Beanz, 34 years old, Staten Island, New York ALEX CALATOZZOa/k/a Houdin, 38 years old, Brooklyn, New York BEN BUTLER, 32 years old, Randolph, Massachusetts JOSEPH MIGNANOa/k/a Migs, 61 years old, Brooklyn, New York VINCENT POSA, 51 years old, Brooklyn, New York JOSEPH ROMANO, 28 years old, Staten Island, New York ANTHONY ROMANO, 32 years old, Staten Island, New York FREDERICK ZITTEL, 53 years old, Brooklyn, New York BIROL KAGITCIOGLU, 72 years old, Brooklyn, New York JOHN MCAVOYa/k/a Henry, 39 years old, Brooklyn, New York ROSARIO CARUSOa/k/a The Italian Kid, 38 years old, Staten Island, New York MIA CHAMBERSa/k/a Mimi, 37 years old, Brooklyn, New York ANDREW MASONa/k/a Roberto, 24 years old, Brooklyn, New York PAUL EKERLING, 39 years old, Toms River, New Jersey MILLAN CENEUSa/k/a Millz, 36 years old, Brockton, Massachusetts THOMAS SCHILLIZZI, 45 years old, Staten Island, New York. 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Arrested in the takedown were Durail Miles, Nathaniel Winfield, Juan Laureano, Arthur Williams, Hector Espinosa, Sharif Clark, Steven Malloy, Shann Murria, Wiley Holman, Azjaye Allen, Milton Stilley, Glen Howard, Zaquon Williams, Tavon Ryner and Sefu Luthman. Copyright 2023 WABC-TV. The alleged gang members were charged in a series of seven indictments. An NYPD officer was shot in the leg in the New Springville section of Staten Island. That night, authorities said Bota and Lopez Santos agreed to meet in Botas home on Union Street in Brooklyn. The 40-year-old former running back originally from Rockland County played at Notre Dame and signed with the Giants, but never played for them after an off-season injury. The operation, dubbed D-Rail the Corridor by investigators, kicked off in April 2021. The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Pizzaro was taken to Richmond University Medical Center. The recovered weapons include a loaded .380-caliber semi-automatic Keltec handgun, a loaded .40-caliber Smith and Wesson semi-automatic, a .45-caliber Colt semi-automatic and a Mossberg pistol grip shotgun, police said. Pizarro has seven prior arrests in New York State, for aggravated unlicensed operator, criminal possession of a controlled substance, weapons possession and a rap for bringing contraband into prison,NYPD Chief of Detectives JamesEssig said. Pizarro told police that his intentions on the morning in question were to defend his home from unknown intruders. Bota was arrested that night, authorities said. He used a 9 mm Beretta handgun with a magazine that holds up to 17 rounds which was recovered on scene, according to authorities and police sources. Police said both Marshall and Pizarro were expected to be inside. Pizarro was shot in the leg by police returning fire. Dominick Libretti was shot while conducting a drug raid back on January 20. Months later, a wiretap investigation was started in February 2020 and focused on the role of accused drug kingpin Miguel Rivera, 42, of Queens, as an alleged cocaine supplier. The Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. That takes about like one second.. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Todays takedown is yet another major action to keep our streets clean from these drugs and hold accountable those who put New Yorkers in harms way just to line their pockets. Grant was among those who kicked in the $500,000 cash needed to secure a $5 million bond to release Nelson Pizarro, putting up a large portion of the money, sources said. A 9 mm handgun was recovered at the scene. WebSTATEN ISLAND A young woman who plays a "blue fairy" in a YouTube rap video glamorizing prescription drug abuse was among 32 people arrested this week in a major As alleged in the first conspiracy, Neil Garone a/k/a Beanz (a New York City Department of Sanitation employee) and Alex Calatozzo a/k/a Houdin operated an oxycodone pill distribution network in and around Brooklyn and Staten Island. He was a co-owner of the former AP Cafe, a Bushwick coffee shop. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. During the electronic surveillance, the defendants and their co-conspirators frequently utilized coded and cryptic terminology in an attempt to disguise their illicit activities, such as referring to oxycodone pills by colors or size (big ones, white shirts, blue shirts, and 3-0s) and cocaine as the girl or the Pablo. Over the course of the investigation, authorities seized approximately 2,600 oxycodone pills, 300 grams of cocaine, digital scales, a money counter, and more than $12,000 in cash. Pizarro, 40, who had seven prior arrests in New York, was charged in January with shooting Detective Dominick Libretti in the leg during a drug bust at his New Springville home. Over the following months, detectives seized more than 40 grams of cocaine, 3,100 ecstasy pills containing methamphetamine, 100 grams of crack cocaine and 360 oxycodone pills. Brown was indicted in February by a Staten Island grand jury on two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. We've received your submission. The Office of Attorney General does not make any promises, assurances, or guarantees as to the accuracy of the translations provided. The investigation led to the recovery of more than 2,600 oxycodone pills, 300 grams of cocaine, and thousands of dollars in illicit narcotics proceeds. WebAs part of a drug investigation, NYPD narcotics personnel at 6:02 a.m. One of the targets was Sharissa Turk, 22, who was arrested Wednesday after she allegedly sold Oxycodone to an undercover police officer three times, officials said. And on New Years Day, an off-duty NYPD cop suffered a fractured skull after someone shot out the window of his car as he slept in an East Harlem precincts parking lot between shifts. Emergency Services Unit officers also found two bulldogs a female adult named Fluffy and a puppy in the home, a police spokesman said. Prosecutors said the arrests came from a long-term investigation into heroin and oxycodone trafficking on Staten Island. Pizarro was shot in the leg as police returned fire. On July 8, 2020, Bota called alleged narcotics supplier Joe Lopez Santos, 42, of Brooklyn, who allegedly agreed to sell a kilogram of cocaine for $41,000. The police conducted a court-authorized search of his car and found an additional 150 grams of cocaine, heroin, a scale and about $4,000 in cash from a hidden compartment in the vehicle. Theres no such thing as a simple gunshot wound.. He was with the Packers for six seasons from 2007 to 2012 and was on the team that won the 2011 Super Bowl. WebA gang flooded illegal drugs into a violence-plagued Staten Island neighborhood for over a year, cops and prosecutors said Tuesday as they announced the arrests of 15 people on Brown is unfortunately caught up in this vicious drug cycle which is destroying our urban areas, Gallucci said. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Authorities allege that a 40-year-old man sold drugs to an undercover officer and then was caught several weeks later with a glassine envelope of heroin stamped White Diamond in his St. George community. This indictment contains 473 counts of various felony narcotics offenses, including charges against Neil Garone, Alex Calatozzo, and Ben Butler for Operating as a Major Trafficker, which carries a mandatory life sentence in state prison, and various counts of Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (class A and B felonies), as well as Conspiracy to commit those crimes. Google Translate cannot translate all types of documents, and it may not give you an exact translation all the time. 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This long-term investigation helped to dismantle an alleged drug network that continued to operate and benefit during the height of the pandemic, distributing large amounts of cocaine through several Brooklyn communities," said Gonzalez. Prosecutors say that as Pizarro fired through a closed door toward officers, he placed an unnamed individual, located in a separate bedroom, at risk of also being shot. In 2005, he was arrested after being found with eight ounces of cocaine near the Staten Island Zoo. The male officer, a 10-year- veteran of the force, was taken to Staten Island University North Hospital in stable condition. There is simply no regard for the safety of the public.. She was in critical condition. WebSTATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A police raid on a home in South Beach earlier this month netted more than $16,000 in cash, a large amount of marijuana in the living room and several types The alleged gang members were all arraigned Tuesday on varying charges of criminal sale of a controlled substance, conspiracy and related charges. Police say Libretti and other officers breached the front door and announced who they were, then made their way upstairs before shots were fired.