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Published on January 15, 2025
Bronx Drug Lord Sentenced to 30 Years for Fentanyl Operation Linked to Multiple OverdosesSource: Google Street View

Jesus Cabrera, known on the streets as "Gee," has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for orchestrating a drug operation that flooded the Bronx with lethal fentanyl, leading to at least eight overdose deaths. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, during his guilty plea, Cabrera admitted to his role in a conspiracy to distribute both fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue, as well as a related firearms offense.

"Jesus Cabrera led a drug trafficking organization that sold enormous amounts of deadly fentanyl in New York City, which led to the deaths of at least eight victims in the Bronx in 2021," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim. This statement comes on the heels of the prosecution and sentencing of Cabrera and his co-conspirators in an effort to stem the tide of opiate-related fatalities and the ongoing addiction crisis, as detailed by the U.S Department of Justice. Cabrera's disdain for the lives impacted by the DTO’s drug trade was evident when he laughed off concerns about overdoses by saying, "na man, people hating, they don’t want us making money," reported from the court filings and public records.

The drug trafficking organization, active from 2019 through February 2022, centered its operations on a block on 142nd Street between Brook Avenue and St. Ann’s Avenue, infamously known as the "Set." In gritty detail, court documents show the DTO deployed a hierarchy involving street-level dealers, baggers, and lookouts. Michael Amaya, or "Miz," served as Cabrera's lieutenant, directing these daily operations. The prosecution brought to light how the organization made hundreds of thousands of dollars from peddling about five to six kilograms of fentanyl each month during late 2021. The DTO had a trademark style, employing distinctive "stamps" like the "Supreme" and "Off White" logos on their glassines of fentanyl as a twisted branding to attract buyers.

Cabrera's sentencing, which includes five years of supervised release following his prison term, is the culmination of investigations by the NYPD, DEA, and other law enforcement agencies commended by Mr. Kim for their "tireless" work. Co-defendants under Cabrera's command have also faced serious prison sentences: Amaya received 16 years, armed lookout Willie Harris got 12 years, and Frankie Capellan and Jose Figueroa were each handed down 10-year terms.

As we reflect on the impact of this DTO, the case handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit, and led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. King, Kaylan E. Lasky, and David J. Robles, serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against drug abuse and distribution in our communities. The ripple effects of such operations extend far beyond those directly involved, touching the lives of countless individuals and families ensnared in the grip of the fentanyl crisis.