Attorney General Letitia James announced the convictions of 31 individuals for their involvement in major drug trafficking operations across New York's Central region and North Country. These verdicts stem from two separate investigations led by the OAG's Organized Crime Task Force and the Syracuse Police Department, which uncovered the trafficking of methamphetamine, cocaine, and a staggering 150,000 packets of fentanyl and heroin. The confiscated drugs held an estimated street value exceeding half a million dollars, as reported by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).
According to the announcement, the defendants have pleaded guilty in Onondaga County Court, with sentences ranging from probation to 12 years in prison. In addition to their prison time, over $25,000 connected to drug trafficking and two vehicles used for distributing narcotics have been forfeited. Bayron Castro, alias "Hov", led one of the indicted groups and will serve 12 years, followed by five years of post-release supervision after pleading guilty to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree.
"This investigation successfully took down two drug trafficking rings that put communities throughout New York at risk by distributing deadly amounts of fentanyl," Attorney General James said in the statement, obtained by the Office of the Attorney General. Spanning multiple counties, including Onondaga, Oswego, Cortland, Jefferson, and St. Lawrence, these extensive operations were exposed through careful electronic surveillance, undercover operations, and search warrants.
The combined law enforcement effort is a part of the Attorney General’s S.U.R.G.E Initiative, focused on intercepting heroin, fentanyl, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks. Tactics deployed were comprehensive, including thousands of hours of electronic surveillance, as mentioned by Attorney General James. Syracuse Police Chief Joseph Cecile emphasized the strong alliance between agencies, stating, "This major drug investigation is a prime example of our strength through collaboration — from investigation through prosecution." Indeed, the collaboration spanned more than a dozen agencies, from local police departments to federal enforcement, as noted by the Attorney General's office.
Among those convicted, the investigation highlighted the actions of various key members such as Luis Miguel Joaquin, who sourced fentanyl from Bronx County and received an eight-year sentence. Others were similarly held accountable for their roles in the spread of dangerous narcotics throughout the targeted counties. New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James commended the diligent interagency coordination, which he notes was essential in shutting down the operations.
The Attorney General's office detailed that the convicts collectively faced 192 crimes in the two separate indictments related to drug trafficking and weapons offenses. Notably, the S.U.R.G.E Initiative since its 2017 inception has led to the arrest of 991 alleged traffickers, contributing significantly to the ongoing fight against drug distribution networks.
