Wed, Jul 07, 2021
Newsweek
U.S.

78 People Indicted on 355 Crimes in Central New York State Drug Bust

By Andre J. Ellington
U.S. Attorney general Guns Drugs

New York Attorney General Letitia James has announced the takedown of two major drug trafficking organizations in Central New York. Speaking at a press conference in Syracuse, she stated that this move is one of many in an effort to combat crime and violence in Syracuse.

"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.

Handgun
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. iStock/Getty

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.

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Those charged in Wednesday's four indictments include:

  • CHRISTIAN COLON ACEVEDO, 30 years old, Onondaga County
  • KENDELL BAXTROM, 30 years old, Onondaga County
  • TONY BOOKER, A/K/A TONY ADAIR, 46 years old, Florida
  • DONALD BORT, 51 years old, Onondaga County
  • DERON BROWN, 28 years old, Onondaga County
  • XAVIER CALCANO, 37 years old, Onondaga County
  • JOSHUA CHAPLIN, 31 years old, Onondaga County
  • VINCENT CZYZ, 23 years old, Oswego County
  • JOHN DECKER, 52 years old, Chemung County
  • JUSTIN DEPORTAGE, 32 years old, Onondaga County
  • SAMUEL DEFRANCESCO, 33 years old, Madison County
  • VICTOR DELAVEGA, 41 years old, Onondaga County
  • CONSTANCE LEE EARL, 57 years old, Onondaga County
  • DAVID FERMIN, 49 years old, Westchester County
  • MIGUEL RODRIQUEZ FIGUEROA, 44 years old
  • HECTOR FLORES, A/K/A "PITO", 41 years old, Onondaga County
  • BRIAN FORE, 36 years old, Onondaga County
  • BRENT FOX, 28 years old, Cortland County
  • NICHOLAS GEBO, 33 years old, Onondaga County
  • ZACHARY GRAFF, 29 years old, Onondaga County
  • SEAN GRIMM, 47 years old, Oswego County
  • CARLOS GUZMAN, 30 years old, Monroe County
  • ROBERT HAMMOND, 62 years old, Bronx County
  • CHANCY HINDS, 30 years old, Madison County
  • EDUARDO HUERTAS, JR., 30 years old, Onondaga County
  • CLINTON JACKSON, 37 years old, Onondaga County
  • FELIX JAQUEZ, 59 years old
  • SHAYLA JONES, 25 years old, Onondaga County
  • KYLE KULL, 29 years old, Onondaga County
  • KODE LEACH, 28 years old, Oswego County
  • JOSEPH LIEPKE, 38 years old, Onondaga County
  • JESUS MANUEL RUIZ LOPEZ, 34 years old, Florida
  • ROBERT MIGUEL LOPEZ, 38 years old, Florida
  • JOSEPH LOSITO, 31 years old, Onondaga County
  • JOSEPH MAGGIO, 62 years old, Onondaga County
  • ANTONIO MANTARO, 31 years old, Onondaga County
  • JOSHUA MARSH, 36 years old, Oswego County
  • EZEQUIEL MARTINEZ, 27 years old, Onondaga County
  • JOSUE MARTINEZ, 29 years old, Onondaga County
  • WILLIAM MCGUIRK, 37 years old, Oswego County
  • LUIS MORALES, 37 years old, Onondaga County
  • MELISSA MORALES, 37 years old, Onondaga County
  • JOSEPH NOLAN, 46 years old, Onondaga County
  • THOMAS O'CONNOR, 45 years old, Onondaga County
  • MELISSA ORTIZ, A/K/A "INDIA", 53 years old, Onondaga County
  • DEVIN PALERINO, 25 years old, Onondaga County
  • DOMINICK PASCARELLA, 42 years old, Onondaga County
  • STEPHEN POTICHER, A/K/A STEPHEN POTICHER, JR., 49 years old, Oswego County
  • GREGORY PROCOPIO, 33 years old, Onondaga County
  • MICHAEL PUPELLO, 33 years old, Madison County
  • JEREMY QUINONES, 38 years old
  • BRIAN REARDON, 46 years old, Onondaga County
  • BRANDON REINHARDT, 29 years old, Onondaga County
  • CHRISTOPHER RENSLOW, 42 years old, Madison County
  • ALEX RIVERA, 36 years old, Onondaga County
  • JAMES RUSTON, 45 years old, Onondaga County
  • WILLIAM SALAY, 52 years old, Madison County
  • MARC SAMS, 49 years old, Onondaga County
  • SAMUEL MARTINEZ LOPEZ SANTOS, 29 years old
  • JOHN SAUVE, 59 years old, Onondaga County
  • RANDY SAYLER, 43 years old, Oswego County
  • KYLE SCHULTZ, 31 years old, Onondaga County
  • SAADIQ SESSOMS, 24 years old, Onondaga County
  • TONI SMITH, 27 years old, Madison County
  • WILLARD STORMES, 26 years old, Onondaga County
  • JOSEPH TILDEN, 33 years old, Onondaga County
  • GREG TOMKOS, 31 years old, Onondaga County
  • ALESANDRA TRAJKOVSKA, 24 years old, Onondaga County
  • SCOTT TYNON, 60 years old
  • MICHAEL ELIAS VENTURA MONTANO, 28 years old,
  • KONSTANTINOS VOULTSIOS, 29 years old, Onondaga County
  • AMBER WATKINS, 25 years old, Onondaga County
  • KYLE WEAVER, 24 years old, Oswego County
  • FRANK WRIGHT, 42 years old, Onondaga County
  • PETER WYSOCKI, 27 years old, Oswego County

Newsweek has reached out to Attorney General James for further comment.

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