8 Arrested For Around-The-Clock Crack Cocaine Sales In Times Square | USAO-SDNY

Audrey Strauss, New York District Attorney, Peter C. Fitzhugh, New York Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and Dermot Shea, New York City Police Commissioner (“NYPD”), gave today known to have unsealed an indictment indicting eight people of involvement in a plot to distribute cracked cocaine near Times Square. JOHNNY PEREZ, aka “Ghost”, AARON STARKS, aka “Duke”, SEKOU SIMPSON, aka “Tre”, FRED JOHNSON, aka “Trinny”, DAVON MIAL, aka “Smooth” and DONNELL BRUNS, aka “Mac”, were born on Arrested Monday evening in the New York area and presented to US judge Barbara Moses today. FRAYVON YOUNG, aka “Harlem” and ROBERT MASON remain at large. The case is assigned to US District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.

Manhattan US Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “The defendants have been alleged to run a full 24-hour open-air bazaar selling crack cocaine in Times Square. We remember the bad old days of a much shabbier Times Square that was unwelcome, and we are determined to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure these days are only memories. ”

Peter C. Fitzhugh, HSI Special Agent in charge, said: “This crew re-defined the New York City slogan as the ‘city that never sleeps’ by allegedly running a 24-hour drug distribution ring. They worked in shifts almost around the clock, identifying the addictions and vulnerabilities of others. HSI New York and our NYPD partners worked closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern Borough of New York to ensure those arrested today are exposed to the full weight of our justice system and are held accountable for the actions of their criminal organization. ”

NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said, “Our officials work day and night to keep every corner of New York free from the scourge of illegal narcotics, including the crossroads of the world. Today’s federal indictment underscores the continued dedication of our NYPD investigators, US attorneys for the Southern District of New York, and law enforcement partners to this ongoing mission.

As alleged in the indictment[1] Unsealed today in Manhattan Federal Court and in other court records and proceedings:

Between at least December 2019 and August 2021, the defendants sold crack cocaine almost around the clock near 43rd Street and 8th Avenue in Manhattan, near Times Square. One “shift” came in late morning and sold until late afternoon, and then other defendants came and sold until evening and night. Although there was no fixed composition of the defendants for the two shifts, the defendant AARON STARKS was often present and supervised the first shift, and the defendant JOHNNY PEREZ was often present and supervised the second shift.

An undercover law enforcement officer purchased quantities of crack cocaine from the defendants on dozens of occasions, including multiple purchases from each defendant. Law enforcement surveillance showed almost continuous sales from late morning through night and shift changes. In addition, surveillance videos from around 43rd Street and 8th Avenue showed the defendants conducting hundreds of hand-to-hand sales of crack cocaine. Defendants carried out more than 650 hand-to-hand sales over an 11-day period in March and April 2021. In January 2020, police officers arrested STARKS in the Times Square area and confiscated approximately 312 capsules of crack cocaine and 52 Twists of crack cocaine from him.

* * *

PEREZ, 37, Bronx, New York, STARKS, 36, Bronx, SIMPSON, Brooklyn, New York, JOHNSON, 43, Manhattan, MIAL, 32, Bronx, YOUNG, 34, Bronx, MASON, 39, from the Bronx, and BRUNS , 42, from the Bronx, are each charged with a distribution conspiracy and with the intention of distributing 280 grams or more of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of cracked cocaine. This charge provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The maximum possible sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the conviction of the accused is determined by a judge.

Ms. Strauss praised the excellent investigative work of the HSI and the NYPD.

This case is handled by the Office’s Narcotics Department. United States associate attorneys Christy Slavik and Kedar S. Bhatia are in charge of the indictment.

The charges in the indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

[1] As the opening sentence implies, all of the text of the Indictment and the description set out herein constitute allegations only, and any fact described should be treated as an allegation.