19 People Indicted for Trafficking Cocaine Sold In Bronx,
And Club Drugs Sold At Nightspots Throughout City
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark, New York City Police Commissioner James P.
O’Neill, Homeland Security Investigations New York Special Agent in Charge Angel M.
Melendez and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Raymond Donovan
today announced that 19 people have been indicted on charges related to trafficking cocaine and
club drugs in the city. During the investigation, 176 pounds of cocaine with a street value of
almost $3 million were recovered.
District Attorney Clark said, “We will stop traffickers of any illicit drugs that devastate
lives and neighborhoods. These defendants allegedly distributed large amounts of cocaine sold
on the streets of the Bronx, and peddled dangerous ‘date rape’ drugs that wind up in bars and
nightclubs. As always, I stand ready to work with my local and federal law enforcement partners
to target drug dealers.”
Commissioner O’Neill said, “The NYPD, and its partners, are committed to eradicating
drug trafficking in the City of New York. These are serious charges, and bringing those who
commit these acts to justice is dangerous work. I commend the NYPD investigators, DEA
Agents, Homeland Security Investigators, and the members of the Bronx District Attorney’s
Office for their work in this significant case.”
Special Agent in Charge Melendez said, “This is a case of street dealers joining forces to
corner the market for cocaine on the street and in clubs around the city. This high profit business
simply seeks to exploit the vulnerabilities of those addicted, while seeking new customers in the
club scene. Removing this amount of cocaine off the streets reduces the number of potential
overdoses by the thousands. Law enforcement understands the importance of removing these
drug pushers from the community, and will continue to partner in investigations to arrest and prosecute those individuals.”
Special Agent in Charge Donovan said, “This criminal network profited off the sale of
cocaine and MDMA to mid-level drug traffickers, street dealers, and users throughout New York
City. Illicit drug trends come and go, but in New York, heroin and cocaine have always been the
headline drugs of choice. Ever since fentanyl hit the streets, traffickers have been creating their
own trends. The mixture of heroin and fentanyl has become public health’s most potent enemy;
and evident in recent statistics, the mixture of cocaine and fentanyl is following in its
footsteps. Because of DEA intelligence, increased cocaine production in Colombia, and larger
cocaine loads like the 80 kilograms seized in this case, New Yorkers should be warned that the
cocaine of older times is deadlier today: CDC studies show that 40% of cocaine deaths in 2016
involved fentanyl. I applaud our law enforcement partners on their diligent work throughout this
investigation.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendants are variously charged in three indictments
totaling 227 counts of various degrees of Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled
Substance and Conspiracy. Two of the defendants are charged with Operating as a Major
Trafficker, which carries a minimum of 15-25 years to maximum of life in prison if convicted.
Fourteen of the defendants were arrested in a takedown on May 1, 2019. Twelve have been
arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice John Carter, two are awaiting arraignment and
five have not been apprehended yet
According to the year-long investigation by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, NYPD
Bronx Gang Squad, Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations,
the defendants trafficked large quantities of cocaine, which they sold in bulk to distributors, and
which in turn was sold in $10 and $20 packets, sometimes in crack form, on Valentine Avenue
between the Grand Concourse and East 187th Street.
One indictment charges 10 people with the cocaine operation, with Alvon Pierre and Elvis
Gomez charged with Operating as a Major Trafficker. On February 28, 2019, investigators seized
176 pounds (80 kilos) of cocaine in a vehicle and packed in suitcases in an apartment on 191st
Street in Flushing, Queens that is connected to Pierre and co-defendant Robert Nieves. On
December 31, 2018, in the Bronx, $135,000 was seized from a secret compartment in Gomez’ Saturn SUV.
Another indictment charges five people with distributing MDMA (Ecstasy), Alprazolam
(Xanax) and Ketamine. These controlled substances frequently turn up at clubs and nightspots
throughout the city. According to the indictment, two of the defendants conspired to import pills
from overseas, via international mail. Authorities in Brussels, Belgium intercepted 1.25 pounds
of pure controlled substances before they could reach their destinations in the Bronx and
Manhattan.
District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Luke Maddock of the Bronx Gang Squad
for his work in the investigation.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and is not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
Defendants Arraigned
Kaharey Jeffers, 26, Yonkers, N.Y.
Devin Rivera, 19, Bronx
Rafael Guerrero, 28, Bronx
Benny Phillips, 27, Bronx
Audy Monzon, 32, Bronx
Robert Nieves, 41, Queens
Alvin Pierre, 44, Queens
Jose Guity, 20, Bronx
Michael Ortiz, 21, Bronx
Nicolas Beltre, 39, Manhattan
Eladio Polanco, 21, Manhattan
Kevin Aldebot, 25, Bronx
Not Arraigned Yet
Jonathan Davila, 20, Bronx
Shawn Wilson, 31, Bronx
Defendants Not Apprehended
Elvis Gomez, 34, Bronx
Frank Almanzar, 37, Manhattan
Salathiel Mora, 39, Manhattan
David Monet, 40, Queens
Brandon Santaella, 21 Bronx
