Defendant Charged In Connection With Narcotics Manufacturing And Distribution Center

 

200,000 Pills, Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, and Cocaine Seized in Washington Heights Search

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Frank A. Tarentino III, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced the filing of a Complaint in Manhattan federal court charging JUAN EFREN PAULINO with conspiracy to distribute narcotics and distribution of narcotics.  PAULINO was arrested in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.  PAULINO was presented before United States Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker and detained. 

DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III said: “This pill mill was a ticking time bomb for New Yorkers.  With the amount of fentanyl seized, potentially countless lethal doses were taken off the streets.  This multi-million-dollar seizure was in a prime location for distribution as the operation was being pumped out of the basement of an apartment building near major thoroughfares.  I applaud the hard work and resolve of the agents and officers who worked on this investigation.”

As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:[1]

On or about May 31, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search of the basement of a residential building located in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan.  During the course of that search, they encountered PAULINO and large quantities of illegal narcotics as well as manufacturing and distribution equipment used to press illegal narcotics into pill form.  In particular, law enforcement officers encountered three commercial-grade pill presses, one commercial mixer, approximately 200,000 pills, and blocks, baggies, and buckets of powder.  The following is a photograph of the various substances seized:    

Although lab testing is pending for the pills and powders discovered during the search, preliminary spectrometry tests reveal that the powders have tested positive for, among other things, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine.

In post-arrest statements, PAULINO stated that he was in the basement of the building to obtain a sample of cocaine to give to someone.  Additionally, a preliminary review of PAULINO’s cellphone, seized upon his arrest, reveals numerous photographs of what appear to be narcotics, including many of the same types of narcotics found during the search. 

PAULINO, 52, of New York, New York, is charged in Count One with conspiracy to distribute narcotics and in Count Two with narcotics distribution.  Both Count One and Count Two carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. 

The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. 

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the El Dorado Task Force, which is comprised of law enforcement officers from the DEA, HSI, and the New York City Police Department, in connection with this investigation.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

BRONX DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE RECOGNIZES NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH WITH 4TH ANNUAL MARCH

 

Walk Through Longwood Will Highlight Casualties of Shooting Scourge; Begins at PAL Center Where Two Teens Were Shot, One Fatally

The Office of Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark is observing National Gun Violence Awareness Month with its 4 th Annual March to End Gun Violence and a resource fair this Saturday June 3, 2023, to show unity with Bronx residents and honor victims of shootings. 

District Attorney Clark said, “As we observe National Gun Violence Awareness Month, we reiterate the need for resources to end the crisis that is devastating families and communities. There have been far too many shootings in the Bronx. So far this year, there have been 26 people fatally shot and 102 people wounded, in 105 incidents of gunfire on our streets. Additionally, we have seen over 500 gun arrests in the Bronx so far this year. This carnage must end. I implore our elected officials to provide funding for sorely needed resources and for programs that can prevent gun violence and help the victims, who undergo so much trauma.

“I urge everyone to join us on Saturday to show solidarity with Bronxites enduring senseless shootings at any time of day.” 

The March to End Gun Violence, in partnership with the Police Athletic League, will begin and end at the PAL Center located at 991 Longwood Avenue, where a teen was killed and another teen was wounded in a shooting after leaving a basketball game earlier this year. Others whose lives were taken by gun violence will be commemorated along the route of the march through Longwood. 

The resource fair takes place between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the PAL Center, and the march steps off at 1:00 p.m. Participants are encouraged to wear orange, the color of gun violence awareness. 

MAYOR ADAMS AND CHANCELLOR BANKS ANNOUNCE $8.4M STATE GRANT TO PURCHASE SCHOOL FOOD FROM LOCAL FARMERS

 

Program Will Increase Purchasing of Local and Regional Foods for Use in School While Supporting Local, Small to Mid-Scale, Historically Disadvantaged Farmers, and Producers

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks today announced that the DOE Office of Food and Nutrition Services (OFNS) has been awarded $8.4 million through the Local Food for Schools grant. The funds, allocated by the New York State Education Department, will be used to purchase locally grown foods from local producers, small businesses, and historically disadvantaged farmers and producers.

 

“From introducing Plant-Powered Fridays to launching our inaugural Chefs Council, the changes we’ve made to our school menus have been nothing short of transformative,” said Mayor Adams. “Now with this new grant, we will deepen our efforts to ensure all our children have access to healthy, nourishing, culturally appropriate meals, in partnership with our local producers.”

 

“Schools are the centers of our communities, and our school food programs go beyond providing every student with a nutritious meal each day. A major focus for NYC Public Schools is ensuring that the meals we serve contribute to our sustainability efforts and bolster our local economic communities,” said DOE Chancellor David C. Banks. “I’m thrilled to further deepen our partnership with New York State producers and farmers through this grant, working together to raise our next generation of sustainable and health-minded leaders.”

 

“This is a big win-win for our students and local farmers/producers, helping to ensure that the food we serve in schools is healthy, and locally sourced and grown,” said Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture Executive Director Qiana Mickie. “The Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture is focused on creating opportunity for our local farming community, while ensuring that New Yorkers benefit from increased access to fresh, healthy food. This grant will go a long way towards deepening that mission.”

 

“Healthy school meals are a priority of the Adams administration from Meatless Mondays to Plant-Powered Fridays to this Local Food for Schools grant announcement,” said Mayor’s Office of Food Policy Executive Director Kate MacKenzie. “This grant will help to strengthen relationships with local producers and ensure our children sustain healthy diets to fuel academic excellence.”

 

“We are thrilled to receive the Local Food for Schools grant, which will allow us to further support our local communities and continue to provide nutritious meals to our students,” said DOE Office of Food and Nutrition Services Senior Executive Director Chris Tricarico. “By incorporating even more locally grown foods into our menus, we are not only ensuring the quality of meals but fostering a connection between students and the local food ecosystem, building a healthier and more sustainable future for New York City's school communities.”

 

The Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program, between the New York State Education Department and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), aims to increase purchasing of local and regional foods for use in schools and support local producers. It also aims to remove barriers and create lasting connections to strengthen food systems within school communities; strengthen partnerships between farmers/producers and schools; and engage with new local producers to bring them into OFNS’ regular school food pipeline.

 

OFNS will leverage its partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Mayor's Office of Urban Agriculture to identify a cohort of small to mid-scale, historically disadvantaged urban and rural New York State growers who are interested in entering the school food market. OFNS and the Office of Urban Agriculture will collaborate on training these producers so they can have an easier pathway to apply for OFNS contracts and sell their products to DOE schools. The Local Food for Schools funding will help procure fresh vegetables from these farmers, which will include diced white potatoes, diced butternut squash, green cabbage, corn on the cob, green bell peppers, and more.

 

The support provided through the training will directly increase the number of certified M/WBE, Good Agriculture Practice, and New York State Grown and Certified producers. It will also build relationships between local producers, DOE, and other city agencies.

The partners include:

• NYC DOE OFNS
• NYC DOE Division of Contracts & Purchasing
• Cornell Cooperative Extension/Harvest NY
• Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture

The OFNS contract management team will ensure a proper procurement process, and the supply chain will support distribution across schools. The menu management team will incorporate the new items into school lunch menus. DOE Division of Contracts & Purchasing oversees solicitations and purchases. Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Office of Urban Agriculture will support producer outreach, engagement, and training.