Federal prosecutors for the Southern District of New York, the FBI, and NYPD announced on Wednesday, March 6, that charges were filed against 16 members and leaders of “an armed and violent drug trafficking crew” who operated with deadly consequences for their victims on Valentine Avenue in Fordham Manor for over 10 years.

 

Representatives for U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said law enforcement executed a search warrant on the night of March 5 and the morning of March 6 at the impacted Fordham Manor neighborhood which, Williams said, had long been “held hostage” by the traffickers. “As alleged, day in, day out, this crew distributed fentanyl, heroin, and crack along several blocks of Valentine Avenue, effectively creating an open drug market,” Williams said.

 

He continued, “To protect their territory, they allegedly carried guns, extorted addicts through threats of violence, and far too often, also used violence against rivals and anyone else who attempted to weaken their control of their block.” He said this included multiple shootings and said the blocks in question were those between East 194th Street and East 196th Street on Valentine Avenue.

 

The defendants are charged for their involvement in an armed drug trafficking organization (the “Valentine Avenue Crew”) that took over “The Block” of Valentine Avenue between East 194th Street and East 196th Street in The Bronx and its surrounding neighborhood.

 

The court heard that working in shifts throughout the day and night, and organized in a clear hierarchal structure, the Valentine Avenue Crew and its members, including the defendants, many of whom were typically armed with firearms and other weapons, distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base, in a form commonly known as “crack.”

The court heard that these narcotics were often manufactured and packaged elsewhere and then delivered to the Block, where members and associates of the Valentine Avenue Crew sold them to a large base of end-user customers. Controlling the sidewalks and street of the Block, as well as the public spaces of multiple buildings along the Block, the Valentine Avenue Crew and its members, including the defendants, operated freely, creating an open market for drugs, in which they extorted payments from customers through violence.

 

Prosecutors said Edwin Carrasquillo, a/k/a “Malo,” Hector Hernandez, a/k/a “Hec,” Jose Hernandez, a/k/a “Nene,” a/k/a “Little,” Nathaniel Manning, a/k/a “Tio,” Damel Marcus, a/k/a “Shank,” Edward Moreno, a/k/a “AR,” Jason Rivera, a/k/a “Colombo,” Josue Vargas, a/k/a “Leo,” Juan Kuang, a/k/a “Jo Jo,” a/k/a “Jay,” a/k/a “Blanco,” Steven Santiago, a/k/a “Swizz,” Victor Mendeng, a/k/a “Cali,” Delilah Carriel, Rosemarie Sanchez, a/k/a “Rosie,” Juan Calderon, a/k/a “Jazzo,” a/k/a “Juanito,” Christopher Meadows, and Angel Villafane were charged with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, distributing narcotics, and carrying and using firearms in connection with an armed drug trafficking operation based at Valentine Avenue in the Bronx for over a decade from 2012 to the present.

 

They said Carrasquillo, H. Hernandez, J. Hernandez, Manning, Marcus, Moreno, Vargas, Kuang, Santiago, Carriel, Sanchez, Calderon, and Meadows were arrested on March 6 in an operation conducted by the FBI and NYPD, and were expected to be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave or U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie Figueredo on March 6.

Prosecutors said Mendeng, who they said is detained in the custody of the New York City Department of Correction (DOC) on separate charges, will be writted into federal custody at a later date. They said Rivera and Villfane were previously arrested and charged in prior indictments. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.

 

Prosecutors said that, in addition, Angel Villafane was charged for two non-fatal shootings in Manhattan in July 2020 and January 2021 over a drug debt, resulting in personal injury to the victim. They said, additionally, on or about January 8, 2021, Villafane allegedly committed another non-fatal shooting in Manhattan.

 

Norwood News spoke to some residents of the block on March 6 but none were aware of the raid. One woman said she sometimes saw police patrolling the two ends of the section in question of Valentine Avenue, as well as midway between the two. A local store owner said the same thing. Spray painted symbols, possibly indicative of gang activity, were seen on some street structures along Valentine Avenue.

Williams said the latest charges are a continuation of ongoing work by law enforcement to address gang activity on Valentine Avenue and added that since 2020, federal, State and City law enforcement have arrested and charged over 50 defendants with serious drug and gun crimes, all carried out along the same stretch of the avenue.

 

FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith said in part, in the context of the latest arrests, “FBI maintains its unwavering stance against all forms of violence and drug trafficking and will continue to apprehend those who threaten our community’s safety.”

 

Meanwhile, NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said, “Today’s charges demonstrate the thorough and diligent efforts of NYPD investigators and our law enforcement partners in dismantling an allegedly violent drug trafficking organization operating in New York City.  We will continue to identify and hold accountable anyone who peddles dangerous substances or possesses illegal weapons in our communities.  And I am grateful to our colleagues at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their commitment to this critical public safety mission.”

In June 2022, the FBI announced that 12 people had been arrested and charged with drug trafficking and criminal weapons possession following a raid at 2685 Valentine Avenue.

 

Zukeila Plaza, aka “Keila” (40), Maurice Sinclair, aka “Skino,” aka “Ski” (26), Lawrence Green, aka “Lzz,” aka “LJ” (28), Louis Lawrence, aka “Adam,” aka “Anthony,” aka “A” (32), Deion Johnson, aka “Billz,” aka “Black” (25), Nathan Smith, aka “Youngin,” aka “600,” aka “Six” (24), Estiben Oliva, aka “Mula” (28), John Graves, aka “Nephew” (35), Ali Doby, aka “Lee Drilly,” aka “Fifty” (20), Goddes Earl, aka “Asia” (49); Javon Hoskins, aka “Jason,” aka “Twin” (41), and John Hendricks, aka “Tyson,” aka “Fred” (56), all of New York City, were charged with being members of a drug trafficking organization.

 

It was alleged by federal prosecutors that the group distributed drugs, including crack cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin in The Bronx, including from inside 2685 Valentine Avenue from March 2019 through June 2022. Norwood News asked the press office at the federal prosecutors’ office for an update on the status of the cases pending against these formerly charged 12 individuals.

We were advised that of the 12 defendants charged, one is a fugitive, two are pending trial in October 2024, nine have pled guilty, with two already sentenced and seven are pending sentencing.

 

Norwood News has long reported on several violent incidents occurring on the impacted stretch of Valentine Avenue, as well as on prior anti-gun violence anti-gun violence marches organized along the blocks in question led by Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark.

 

A stabbing was reported in front of 2527 Valentine Avenue between East 196th Street and East Fordham Road on April 18, 2023. A 25-year-old local man was arrested for attempted murder and other charges following a daylight shooting at Valentine Avenue and East 197th Street on April 15, 2023.

In April 2015, Hakeem Kuta, a 17-year-old Mott Haven teen, jumped from a rooftop at 2685 Valentine Avenue between East 194th Street and East 196th Street as he attempted to evade police who were pursuing him for allegedly smoking marijuana in a lobby with others, after receiving a complaint. He was transported to St. Barnabas Hospital and later died from his injuries.

 

Other violent incidents have also been reported in the wider vicinity of Valentine Avenue. These include when an innocent little girl who became affectionately known as “Baby Catherine,” was shot in the face in crossfire when she was just 11 months old at Valentine Avenue and East 198^th Street on Jan. 19, 2022. She survived. More recently, a mother was fatally shot and two of her children were also shot but survived during an incident inside 226 East 203rd Street and Valentine Avenue on Feb. 10, this year.

 

The NYPD said they have removed 1034 illegal guns off New York City streets as of March 5, since the beginning of the year, and 14,624 illegal guns since Jan. 1, 2022. Despite this, year-to-date shootings in the borough and in the 52nd Precinct, where the raid occurred, and which covers Bedford Park, Fordham, Kingsbridge, Norwood, Bronx Park, and University Heights, are up as of March 3, compared to the same timeframe last year.

A visit to the relevant section of Valentine Avenue on March 6 saw graffiti and various symbols indicative of gang affiliation painted on different street structures. The intersection of East 194th Street and Valentine Avenue is a well-known hotspot, frequented by drug users who also congregate underneath the nearby Kingsbridge Road underpass and by nearby Poe Park. A mobile police security camera was seen near that junction on the evening of March 6.

 

As reported, residents and educators in the area, especially around Poe Park, have long complained about the prevalence of open [outdoor] drug use. Many agree services are needed to assist those with addiction issues but have called for such services to be provided at a venue located away from young children who are habitually witnessing, at very close proximity, the effects of such open, outdoor drug use in plain sight. P.S. 246 is located diagonally across from Poe Park.

Meanwhile, Williams said of the latest arrests, “We have now dismantled three different crews. He added that they were not done. “As U.S. Attorney, I promise you we are not going to abandon any of our communities. Our commitment to public safety will never waiver, not anywhere, not for a moment. The people of this great city deserve nothing less.”

 

The defendants are deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.

NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene provides training and regularly updated information on how to obtain and administer naloxone (Narcan). Click here for more information. The nonprofit, Keep It Simple and Safe (KISS) also provides training on the safe administration of Narcan, as reported.

 

*David Greene contributed to this story