“Cracking down on illegal drug trafficking and violent crime has been a priority for our office since day one,” said Attorney General James. “As Syracuse continues to experience record-high levels of violence, today, we make good on our commitment to protecting our communities by taking these dangerous guns and drugs off our streets. We will ensure that those responsible for endangering our communities are held accountable. I thank our law enforcement partners for their support in seeing this through.”
As a result of the takedown, 78 people were charged with 355 crimes, and $2 million in drugs, including cocaine and heroin mixed with fentanyl, were recovered. Also, $490,000 in cash, 15 firearms and nine ghost guns were confiscated.
Ben Walsh, mayor of Syracuse, thanked Attorney General James via Twitter for her heroic efforts.
“Thank you @NewYorkStateAG for your leadership, and thanks to @SyracusePolice and all our partner law enforcement agencies for your excellent police work. The streets of Syracuse are safer today because of it.”
There are four indictments which came from Attorney General James office.
The first indictment involves the “Pupello Group.” The leader of the organization, Michael Pupello, along with 25 other individuals are charged with 123 counts of selling narcotics in Onondaga — Madison, and Oswego counties.
The second indictment involves the “Flores Group.” The leader of the organization, Hector Flores, aka “Pito,” along with 50 other individuals are charged with 226 counts of selling narcotics in Onondaga, Oswego, Oneida, Cortland, Westchester, New York, and Bronx counties.
The third indictment involves Robert Miguel Lopez and Michael Elias Ventura-Montano. Lopez set up the delivery for three kilos of cocaine from Florida, to New York City, to Ventura-Montano. Ventura-Montano took the cocaine from New York to Syracuse and was stopped by investigators. The investigators found the three kilos of cocaine along with $31,000 in cash.
The fourth indictment involves Jesus Manuel Ruiz Lopez and Carlos Guzman. Lopez allegedly set up the delivery of numerous kilos of cocaine to be transported from Puerto Rico to Rochester. Guzman allegedly transported the cocaine to Onondaga County where investigators confiscated three kilograms of cocaine, $36,000 in cash, and a loaded .40 caliber handgun.
Those charged in Wednesday’s four indictments include:
CHRISTIAN COLON ACEVEDO, 30 years old, Onondaga CountyKENDELL BAXTROM, 30 years old, Onondaga CountyTONY BOOKER, A/K/A TONY ADAIR, 46 years old, FloridaDONALD BORT, 51 years old, Onondaga CountyDERON BROWN, 28 years old, Onondaga CountyXAVIER CALCANO, 37 years old, Onondaga CountyJOSHUA CHAPLIN, 31 years old, Onondaga CountyVINCENT CZYZ, 23 years old, Oswego CountyJOHN DECKER, 52 years old, Chemung CountyJUSTIN DEPORTAGE, 32 years old, Onondaga CountySAMUEL DEFRANCESCO, 33 years old, Madison CountyVICTOR DELAVEGA, 41 years old, Onondaga CountyCONSTANCE LEE EARL, 57 years old, Onondaga CountyDAVID FERMIN, 49 years old, Westchester CountyMIGUEL RODRIQUEZ FIGUEROA, 44 years oldHECTOR FLORES, A/K/A “PITO”, 41 years old, Onondaga CountyBRIAN FORE, 36 years old, Onondaga CountyBRENT FOX, 28 years old, Cortland CountyNICHOLAS GEBO, 33 years old, Onondaga CountyZACHARY GRAFF, 29 years old, Onondaga CountySEAN GRIMM, 47 years old, Oswego CountyCARLOS GUZMAN, 30 years old, Monroe CountyROBERT HAMMOND, 62 years old, Bronx CountyCHANCY HINDS, 30 years old, Madison CountyEDUARDO HUERTAS, JR. , 30 years old, Onondaga CountyCLINTON JACKSON, 37 years old, Onondaga CountyFELIX JAQUEZ, 59 years oldSHAYLA JONES, 25 years old, Onondaga CountyKYLE KULL, 29 years old, Onondaga CountyKODE LEACH, 28 years old, Oswego CountyJOSEPH LIEPKE, 38 years old, Onondaga CountyJESUS MANUEL RUIZ LOPEZ, 34 years old, FloridaROBERT MIGUEL LOPEZ, 38 years old, FloridaJOSEPH LOSITO, 31 years old, Onondaga CountyJOSEPH MAGGIO, 62 years old, Onondaga CountyANTONIO MANTARO, 31 years old, Onondaga CountyJOSHUA MARSH, 36 years old, Oswego CountyEZEQUIEL MARTINEZ, 27 years old, Onondaga CountyJOSUE MARTINEZ, 29 years old, Onondaga CountyWILLIAM MCGUIRK, 37 years old, Oswego CountyLUIS MORALES, 37 years old, Onondaga CountyMELISSA MORALES, 37 years old, Onondaga CountyJOSEPH NOLAN, 46 years old, Onondaga CountyTHOMAS O’CONNOR, 45 years old, Onondaga CountyMELISSA ORTIZ, A/K/A “INDIA”, 53 years old, Onondaga CountyDEVIN PALERINO, 25 years old, Onondaga CountyDOMINICK PASCARELLA, 42 years old, Onondaga CountySTEPHEN POTICHER, A/K/A STEPHEN POTICHER, JR. , 49 years old, Oswego CountyGREGORY PROCOPIO, 33 years old, Onondaga CountyMICHAEL PUPELLO, 33 years old, Madison CountyJEREMY QUINONES, 38 years oldBRIAN REARDON, 46 years old, Onondaga CountyBRANDON REINHARDT, 29 years old, Onondaga CountyCHRISTOPHER RENSLOW, 42 years old, Madison CountyALEX RIVERA, 36 years old, Onondaga CountyJAMES RUSTON, 45 years old, Onondaga CountyWILLIAM SALAY, 52 years old, Madison CountyMARC SAMS, 49 years old, Onondaga CountySAMUEL MARTINEZ LOPEZ SANTOS, 29 years oldJOHN SAUVE, 59 years old, Onondaga CountyRANDY SAYLER, 43 years old, Oswego CountyKYLE SCHULTZ, 31 years old, Onondaga CountySAADIQ SESSOMS, 24 years old, Onondaga CountyTONI SMITH, 27 years old, Madison CountyWILLARD STORMES, 26 years old, Onondaga CountyJOSEPH TILDEN, 33 years old, Onondaga CountyGREG TOMKOS, 31 years old, Onondaga CountyALESANDRA TRAJKOVSKA, 24 years old, Onondaga CountySCOTT TYNON, 60 years oldMICHAEL ELIAS VENTURA MONTANO, 28 years old,KONSTANTINOS VOULTSIOS, 29 years old, Onondaga CountyAMBER WATKINS, 25 years old, Onondaga CountyKYLE WEAVER, 24 years old, Oswego CountyFRANK WRIGHT, 42 years old, Onondaga CountyPETER WYSOCKI, 27 years old, Oswego County
Newsweek has reached out to Attorney General James for further comment.
