FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, April 30, 2015
Fifteen Defendants Arrested For Alleged Narcotics Trafficking Following Undercover Investigation at Unity Plaza Houses in East New York
Approximately 150 Undercover Buys Made During Course of Eight Month Operation
Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson, together with New York City Police Commissioner William J. Bratton, today announced that 15 alleged drug dealers have been charged in connection with allegedly selling crack cocaine and marijuana to undercover officers over the past eight months during an anti-drug initiative at the Unity Plaza Houses in East New York. In addition, a quantity of crack cocaine and marijuana was recovered during the execution of court-authorized search warrants.
District Attorney Thompson said, “This investigation underscores the determination of my office and the New York City Police Department to continue to work to improve the quality of life for all residents of public housing. The scourge of drug dealing has no place among the law-abiding residents of Unity Plaza Houses, who deserve to raise their families in a safe environment.”
Commissioner Bratton said, “The NYPD remains committed to the residents of public housing developments and will continue to address the sale of illegal narcotics in North Brooklyn. I want to thank the members of Narcotics Borough Brooklyn North and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office whose hard work in this investigation resulted in the arrest of individuals whose alleged actions compromised the safety and well-being of the families of the Unity Plaza community.”
The investigation began in August 2014 following community complaints about narcotics trafficking and violence in and around the Unity Plaza Houses, located in East New York. The Unity Houses, which is part of the New York City Housing Authority, consists of eight buildings with addresses on Williams Avenue, Blake Avenue and Georgia Avenue. The majority of the defendants live in the housing development which they are alleged to have turned into a drug market and where violent crime has been an ongoing problem.
Over the course of the investigation, undercover officers made approximately 150 buys, mostly of crack cocaine, along with some marijuana. The majority of the buys were made within 1,000 feet of the following schools: Public School 174 located at 574 Dumont Avenue and Public School 328 located at 330 Alabama Avenue.
The defendants were arrested yesterday and are presently awaiting arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court. In addition, police executed six court-authorized search warrants yesterday and among the items seized were a quantity of crack cocaine and marijuana, as well as drug paraphernalia.
The defendants are variously charged in criminal complaints with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds, a B felony punishable by up to 9 years in prison; criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree, a class B felony punishable by up to nine years in prison; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree, a B felony punishable by up to 9 years in prison; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree, an A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison; and criminal sale of marihuana in the fourth-degree, an A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail.
The investigation was conducted by New York City Police Department Detective Brian DePalo of the Narcotics Borough Brooklyn North, under the supervision of Lieutenant William Buchanan.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Maria Linares, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Violent Criminal Enterprises Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Nicole Chavis, Bureau Chief, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney William E. Schaeffer, Chief of Investigations.
Defendant Addendum:
Theresa Bishop, dob: 8-28-89, 611 Blake Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (1 count); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (1 count); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (1 count); and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count).
Anita Choice, dob: 11-26-64, 350 Snediker Avenue. Charged with criminal sale of marihuana in the fourth-degree (2 counts) and unlawful possession of marihuana (1 count).
Deshawn Cross, dob: 8-31-91, 580 Blake Avenue. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (6 counts); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (6 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (6 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree (1 count).
Shereen Fernandez, dob: unknown, 391 Georgia Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (5 counts); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (5 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (5 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count); and endangering the welfare of a child.
Yvonne Garland, dob: 10-24-62, 340 Georgia Avenue, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (7 counts); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (7 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (7 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count); and criminal sale of marihuana in the fourth-degree (1 count).
Quran Godley, dob: unknown, 523 Blake Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (2 counts); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (2 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (2 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count); and criminal sale of marihuana in the fourth-degree (13 counts).
Terrell Johnson, dob: 1-3-85, 395 Vermont Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (5 counts); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (5 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (5 counts); and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count).
Michael Lopez, dob: unknown, 2904 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of marihuana in the fourth-degree.
Lee Miller, dob: 8-7-77, 375 Pulaski Street, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (3 counts); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (3 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (3 counts); and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count).
Anthony Mitchell, dob: 12-30-63, 580 Blake Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (14 counts); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (14 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (14 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count); and criminal sale of marihuana in the fourth-degree (1 count).
Robert Natt, dob: 7-3-79, 340 Williams Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (14 counts); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (14 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (14 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count); and endangering the welfare of a child.
Darryl Price, dob: 9-24-62, 570 Blake Avenue. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (7 counts); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (7 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (7 counts); and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count) and criminal sale of marihuana in the fourth degree (1 count).
Corey Smith, dob: 7-10-81, 523 Blake Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of marihuana in the fourth-degree (5 counts).
Mark Snyder, dob: unknown, 585 Blake Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (23 counts); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (23 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (23 counts); and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count).
Joseph Thomas, dob: unknown, 340 Georgia Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in or near school grounds (10 counts); criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (10 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (10 counts); and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count).
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A criminal complaint is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.