FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Four Defendants Charged With Alleged Narcotics Trafficking Following
Undercover Investigation at Cooper Park Houses in Greenpoint
Approximately 58 Undercover Buys Made During Course of Five-Month Operation
Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson, together with New York City Police Commissioner William J. Bratton, today announced that four alleged drug dealers have been charged in connection with allegedly selling crack cocaine, heroin and marijuana to undercover officers over the past five months during an anti-drug initiative at the Cooper Park Housing Development in Greenpoint. In addition, a quantity of heroin, crack and cash was recovered.
District Attorney Thompson said, “This joint operation with the NYPD once again underscores our determination to protect the law-abiding residents of public housing developments from drug dealers, gang members and other criminals who threaten their safety and well-being.”
Commissioner Bratton said, “This investigation is another example of the NYPD working in partnership with the Brooklyn District Attorney to ensure the safety and quality of life for residents living in public housing. I would like to thank the investigators of Narcotics Borough Brooklyn North and the prosecutors involved in this case whose swift efforts resulted in holding these alleged narcotics traffickers accountable for their actions.”
The investigation began in February 2015 following community complaints about narcotics trafficking and violence in and around the Cooper Park Housing Development located in Greenpoint. The Cooper Houses, which is part of the New York City Housing Authority, consists of 11 seven-story buildings with 700 apartments. The development is bordered by Frost and Jackson Streets, and Morgan, Kingsland and Maspeth Avenues.
Over the course of the investigation, undercover officers made approximately 58 buys, including 32 buys of crack cocaine, 25 buys of heroin and 1 buy of marijuana. Police recovered 157 glassines of heroin, 29 capsules of crack cocaine, 29 twists of crack-cocaine and three ziplock bags of marijuana from the defendants when they were arrested.
Four of the defendants were arraigned last night on criminal complaints in Brooklyn Criminal Court and two were arraigned today on indictments in Brooklyn Supreme Court.
The defendants are variously charged with 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 Detectives Michael Algieri and William Warren 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:
Leequan Herrington, dob: 12-12-95, 82 Dwight Street, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (9 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (9 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count). Harrington was arraigned last night and ordered held on $50,000 bond or $25,000 cash.
Harold Saunders, dob: 9-12-86, 2182 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with 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). Saunders was arraigned last night and ordered held on $30,000 bond or $15,000 cash.
Rakwan Williams, dob: 4-22-91, 295 Jackson Street, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with 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). Williams was arraigned last night and ordered held on $20,000 bond or $10,000 cash.
Tyquan Williams, dob: 7-31-95, 619 Rockaway Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third-degree (3 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third-degree (3 counts); criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh-degree (1 count); criminal sale of marihuana in the fourth-degree (1 count). Williams was arraigned last night and ordered held on $30,000 bond or $15,000 cash.
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A criminal complaint is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.!