Ten people have been indicted after what prosecutors describe as a long-running drug investigation centered in Jamaica, Queens, with an unlicensed social club allegedly serving as one of the operation’s home bases. Authorities say the crew moved cocaine, heroin and fentanyl through that spot and other neighborhood locations, as undercover detectives repeatedly bought drugs from suspected dealers. Searches authorized by the court later turned up multiple kilos of cocaine, hundreds of grams of fentanyl, a loaded handgun and thousands of dollars in cash, according to prosecutors.
Prosecutors Describe 'Operation Bell Tower'
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the charges in a press release from the Queens District Attorney's Office. The investigation, which prosecutors dubbed Operation Bell Tower, began in November 2022 and featured a series of undercover buys from January through April 2025. Katz’s office says the probe resulted in the seizure of about 10 kilos of cocaine with a street value of more than $250,000, more than 500 grams of fentanyl, a loaded 9 mm Ruger and over $15,000 in cash. Katz said in the statement, “We are committed to ending the scourge of overdoses by targeting those who sell deadly drugs on our streets.”
Fentanyl Risk And Local Overdose Trends
Lab testing in the case showed heroin that had been mixed with fentanyl and other substances, a blend that significantly increases the risk of overdose, according to prosecutors. City health data indicate that fentanyl has been involved in most recent overdose deaths, with borough-level overdose rates still elevated, including in Queens and the Bronx, per the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. On the national level, the CDC/NCHS reports that synthetic opioids, primarily illicit fentanyl, accounted for roughly 69% of overdose deaths in 2023, highlighting the risks posed by fentanyl-laced street drugs.
Who Was Charged And What They Face
The ten defendants are named in a 69-count indictment that includes conspiracy, as well as multiple counts of criminal sale and possession of controlled substances, according to the Queens District Attorney's Office. Among those charged are Willis “June” Bell, 49, of Jamaica; Jean‑Pierre Martell, 44, of Woodbridge, Virginia, who was arraigned before Queens Supreme Court Justice Gary Miret; and Castell Brown of Roosevelt, who is charged as a major trafficker and faces a potential life sentence if convicted. Prosecutors also say Leo Smith of South Ozone Park sold heroin to an undercover officer, with alleged deals escalating from 20 glassine envelopes for $120 to a later sale of 150 grams for $6,750.
Prosecution And Next Steps
Assistant District Attorney Sean Murphy of the DA’s Strategic Investigations Bureau is prosecuting the case, with work on the investigation carried out alongside NYPD narcotics detectives in Queens, according to prosecutors. Several of the defendants were arraigned earlier this month, and many have been ordered to return to court on July 10. As with all criminal cases, the complaints and indictments are accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in court.
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