30 Defendants Charged With Narcotics And Firearms Offenses In Manhattan Federal Court

Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing of five Indictments charging 30 defendants with committing various narcotics and firearms offenses in Manhattan and the Bronx.   

As alleged in the Indictments unsealed in Manhattan federal court[1]:

United States v. Neury Abreu, et al., 19 Cr. 821

Between January 2016 and November 2019, NEURY ABREU, 26, ALEXANDER DEJESUS, 27, JOSHUA PEREZ, 27, ALEXANDER BAEZ, 46, IVAN BREA, 28, JOSE CRUZ, 22, LUIS ESPINAL, 30, and ANTHONY MELO, 19, conspired to sell 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, cocaine, Oxycodone, and marijuana.  Members of the conspiracy distributed narcotics in and around the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan.  

Between January 2016 and November 2019, ABREU, DEJESUS, and PEREZ used and carried firearms during and in relation to, and possessed firearms in furtherance of, the narcotics conspiracy charged in the Indictment.  PEREZ also possessed a firearm on or about July 8, 2019, and on or about July 11, 2019, after having previously been convicted of a felony.  

United States v. Alexander Melo, et al., 19 Cr. 818

Between April 2019 and November 2019, ALEXANDER MELO, 28, JAVIER JANIEL, 23, FRANMY LUNA, 24, and JUAN PERALTA, 25, conspired to sell 280 grams or more of crack cocaine, and cocaine.  Members of the conspiracy distributed narcotics in and around the Inwood neighborhood of Manhattan.  

On or about October 9, 2018, MELO possessed a shotgun after having been convicted of a felony, and having had three convictions for three serious drug offenses, all of which were committed on occasions different from one another, in violation of the Armed Career Criminal Act. 

United States v. Mario Delgado, et al., 19 Cr. 817

Between October 2018 and November 2019, MARIO DELGADO, 32, DANIEL CUEVAS, 27, and EDWARD RODRIGUEZ, 30, conspired to sell 100 grams and more of Acetyl Fentanyl (which is an analogue of Fentanyl), Fentanyl, and Oxycodone.  Members of the conspiracy distributed narcotics in and around the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.  

United States v. Roberto Sanchez, et al., 19 Cr. 820

Between January 2019 and November 2019, ROBBERTO SANCHEZ, 41, and JULIO ABREU, 28, conspired to sell heroin, cocaine, and marijuana.  Members of the conspiracy distributed narcotics in and around the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.  

United States v. Alberto Marte, 19 Cr. 795

From at least in or about 2018 through in or about 2019, ALBERTO MARTE, a/k/a “Scotty,” a/k/a “Skylet,” 42, JUNIOR RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a “Skrilla,” 23, ERICK MELENCIANO, a/k/a “Gualey,” 26, NICHOLAS FALU, a/k/a “Nico,” 31, KEVIN ROSADO, a/k/a “Malda,” 26, GUERY CRUZ, a/k/a “Capo,” 24, JONATHAN RODRIGUEZ, a/k/a “Nathan,” 31, OMAR BAEZ, a/k/a “Smokey,” 23, SAMUEL SOSA, a/k/a “Sammy,” 21, YOAN DELACRUZ, a/k/a “Johan,” 29, RAYMER CASILLA, a/k/a “Ray Savage,” 23, KEVIN MELENDEZ, a/k/a “Freaky,” 26, and JOSE BAUTISTA, a/k/a “Nelo,” a/k/a “Echo,” 30, conspired to sell oxycodone and possessed firearms in furtherance of that conspiracy.

Thirteen of the 30 defendants were arrested this morning and will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn in Manhattan federal court.  Twelve of the 30 defendants, charged in connection with United States v. Alberto Marte, were arrested on November 13, 2019, and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.  JOSHUA PEREZ was already in federal custody and will be presented at a later date. 

Charts containing the names, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants are set forth below.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force, and he thanked the New York City Department of Investigation for its assistance in the case. 

This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Balsamello, Adam Hobson, Jacob Warren, Celia Cohen, and Dominick Gentile are in charge of the prosecutions.

The charges contained in the Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.       

 United States v. Neury Abreu, et al., 19 Cr. 821

COUNT	CHARGE	DEFENDANTS	MAX. PENALTIES
1	Narcotics trafficking conspiracy 21 U.S.C. § 846	NEURY ABREU, ALEXANDER DEJESUS, JOSHUA PEREZ, ALEXANDER BAEZ, IVAN BREA, JOSE CRUZ, LUIS ESPINAL, and ANTHONY MELO	Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
2	Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a narcotics trafficking crime 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)	NEURY ABREU, ALEXANDER DEJESUS, JOSHUA PEREZ	Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison
3	Felon in possession of a firearm 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)	JOSHUA PEREZ	10 years in prison
4	Felon in possession of a firearm 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)	JOSHUA PEREZ	10 years in prison

 United States v. Alexander Melo, et al., 19 Cr. 818

COUNT	CHARGE	DEFENDANTS	MAX. PENALTIES
1	Narcotics trafficking conspiracy 21 U.S.C. § 846	ALEXANDER MELO, JAVIER JANIEL, FRANMY LUNA, and JUAN PERALTA,	Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
2	Armed Career Criminal Act 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(e)	ALEXANDER MELO	Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison

 United States v. Mario Delgado, et al., 19 Cr. 817

COUNT	CHARGE	DEFENDANTS	MAX. PENALTIES
1	Narcotics trafficking conspiracy 21 U.S.C. § 846	MARIO DELGADO, DANIEL CUEVAS, and EDWARD RODRIGUEZ	Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison

 United States v. Roberto Sanchez, et al., 19 Cr. 820

COUNT	CHARGE	DEFENDANTS	MAX. PENALTIES
1	Narcotics trafficking conspiracy 21 U.S.C. § 846	ROBERTO SANCHEZ, and JULIO ABREU	20 years in in prison

 United States v. Alberto Marte, 19 Cr. 795

COUNT	CHARGE	DEFENDANTS	MAX. PENALTIES
1	Narcotics trafficking conspiracy 21 U.S.C. § 846	ALBERTO MARTE, JUNIOR RODRIGUEZ, ERICK MELENCIANO, NICHOLAS FALU, KEVIN ROSADO, GUERY CRUZ, JONATHAN RODRIGUEZ, OMAR BAEZ, SAMUEL SOSA, YOAN DELACRUZ, RAYMER CASILLA, KEVIN MELENDEZ, JOSE BAUTISTA	20 years in prison
2	Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a narcotics trafficking crime 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)	ALBERTO MARTE, JUNIOR RODRIGUEZ, ERICK MELENCIANO, NICHOLAS FALU, KEVIN ROSADO, GUERY CRUZ, JONATHAN RODRIGUEZ, OMAR BAEZ, SAMUEL SOSA, YOAN DELACRUZ, RAYMER CASILLA, KEVIN MELENDEZ, JOSE BAUTISTA	Life in prison Mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the texts of the Indictments constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.