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At 22, Jeffrey Civitello Jr. appeared to be riding high, but his story took a downward turn on Oct. 21 when federal drug investigators raided his home on the top floor of a Schenectady building on Albany Street and seized 75 pounds of marijuana, loaded weapons and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Charged with prostitution, a misdemean. The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law. station road cafe sudbury; yokosuka middle school student dies. Jeffrey Lichtman, a Manhattan attorney representing the younger Civitello, told the Times Union that federal authorities tried unsuccessfully to turn his client against his father. I thank our partners in law enforcement for their critical support in this takedown.. The Office of Attorney General's website is provided in English. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency investigation of this case, which also included the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland . The first indictment contains 521 counts and charges 33 people with crimes in relation to their involvement in the narcotics trafficking operation, including Operating as a Major Trafficker (class A-I felony), Criminal Sale and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (class A, B, and C felonies), as well as Conspiracy in the Second degree (class B felony). Six defendants appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and are scheduled for detention hearings later in the week. Dave began his radio career as a morning personality at WABY in Albany. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. The Division for Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Jos Maldonado, and is overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. Attorney General Letitia James said they distributed heroin. Following an interview with Hilts, he was found to have been in possession of 140 envelopes containing heroin, more than 35 grams of MDMA,62 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl,10 suboxone strips, marijuana and more than $5,600 in cash, officials said, adding thatFrasier was allegedly found to be in possession of marijuana. TwoNew Yorkmenwere taken into custody aftertheyallegedly leftdrugs inarental carand returnedto pick up theirforgotten stash,theAlbany County Sheriffs Office says. There, police arrested Lisa M. Medina, 37, of McClyman Street, Schenectady, and Shardar A. Tisdale, 29, of Robinwood Avenue, Rotterdam. I commend and thank Attorney GeneralLetitiaJames and her offices Organized Crime Task Force agents, the FBIs Safe Streets Task Force members, and Albany Police Department officers for their work in bringing those who flood our local communities with illegal weapons and firearms to justice., Our community, like many others, has struggled with an uptick in violence and too many innocent lives have been taken by gun violence in the Capital City, said State Assemblymember John T. McDonald III. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Legal Statement. The investigation was directed by Albany Police Department Detective Bill Norris, under the supervision of Detective Sergeant James Wood; and OCTF Detective Maria Romeo, with the assistance of the National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, under the supervision of Detective Supervisor John Monte and Deputy Chief John McManus. You can cancel at any time. The year-long investigation led to the seizure of approximately 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, 14 grams of heroin, four handguns, and $25,000 in cash. The 376-count indictmentcharges the defendants with various counts of criminal sale and criminal possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy in the second degree, which are all felonies. The event takes place on April 24, 2021 from 10am to 2pm at . A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. The investigation was directed byJohnstown Police Detective Blaine Walker, under the supervision of Detective Sergeant Jonathon Silva and Johnstown Chief of Police David Gilbo; as well asOCTF Detective Michael Connelly, under the supervision of OCTF Supervising Detective John Monte and OCTF Deputy Chief Investigator John McManus. "Beyond that, money could be used for public health purposes. Press Release. We'll know more about it when we get a formal grant, which won't come until August, but also HIDTA debt designation opens the door for Schenectady County to make application for other federal resources and other areas such as addiction control and treatment.". Kuntzsch had customers based in Montgomery, Fulton, Saratoga, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties. Sep. 1MORIAH State Police and other law enforcement agencies say they rounded up a dozen drug dealers in a multi-day raid here. That means just about every other day. Civitello Sr. has prior federal convictions for cocaine trafficking and money laundering, the prosecutor stated. All rights reserved. Area police reported the following charges. On April 2, when the vehicle was stopped in Greene County, police found the 9 kilos of cocaine in a trap compartment in the trunk, Barnett told the judge at Civitellos detention hearing in October. The investigation, codenamed Operation Garage Days, includedcovert surveillance and hundreds of hours of wiretaps. These individuals have allegedly flooded our streets with dangerous narcotics and are responsible for many of the shootings that have been at the center of this devastation. Drug Bust April 24, 2022 4:42 am . Todays takedown is yet another major action to combat violent crime and hold accountable those who seek to endanger our communities. Schumer addressed the issue during a rally with local advocates in June at the Addictions Care Center of Albany, promising to use his clout to get funding flowing to the Capital Region. The success of this investigation is the direct result of the hard work done by members of the various agencies involved and shows just how effective law enforcement can be when working beyond their jurisdictional boundaries., This case targeted a trafficking network that was bringing dangerous, illegal narcotics into upstate New York and beyond, with no regard for the damage being done to the local communities, saidState Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen. Updated Jun 17, 2022. The suspects left the drugs in a rental car they had returned, police say. Members regularly posted videos and pictures of themselves possessing handguns, rifles, and machine guns, usually with high-capacity magazines protruding from the gun. Dangerous drugs have devastated too many communities throughout our state and claimed too many lives, saidJames. The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. At the hearing, Barnett said Civitello had been using the Jeep every day and was well aware that it had been seized. Medina faces two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and one count each of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, in addition to three misdemeanors. The drug sweep began Aug. 25 and ended Aug. 30 with the last. "Of the several dozen character reference letters submitted by the defendant, not a single one is from a co-worker, and no letter appears to reference his supposed construction job," the prosecutor stated. They are accused of possessing heroin, MDMA and cocaine at the location and of selling crack cocaine in Schenectady last month, according to police allegations filed in court. Published January 14, 2021 9:21am EST. By, In Albany, Sen. Schumer launches new effort to counter opioid epidemic, Berkshire DA: sedative that can increase overdose risk has been found in local opioids, A federal judge sides with 3 major drug distributors in a landmark opioid lawsuit. February 21, 2023. Anyone relying on information obtained from Google Translate does so at his or her own risk. Five Saratoga County residents were arrested in a major drug trafficking bust announced on Wednesday by Attorney General Letitia James. These indictments illustrate a message that criminal activity will be investigated and prosecuted. The year-long investigation led to the seizure of about two kilograms of methamphetamine, 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, 14 grams of heroin, four handguns, and $25,000 in cash. The charges in the indictments are merely accusations. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. A locked padlock Robert Gavin covers state and federal courts, criminal justice issues and legal affairs for the Times Union. The transfer took place when both Civitellos were receiving unemployment benefits "dubiously claiming" they had lost their jobs at the father's company, prosecutors said. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Two arrested on drug charges at Queensbury motel, Three arrested on drug possession charges after traffic stop, Glens Falls shooting leaves one in critical condition, Warren County Sheriff's Office seeks help identifying suspect in larceny at liquor store, Police: Glens Falls shooting stemmed from earlier argument, Alaskas Iditarod kicks off with ceremonial start. Both the Investigations Bureau and OCTF are part of the Division for Criminal Justice. He is set to appear in courtat a later date. During the October raid, a gun was found in a safe in a first-floor office of the company, which is in the same building where Civitello Jr. lives. The twomenhad "returned to retrieve the drugs they forgot," police said in a press release. During the course of the investigation, in addition to communication by cell phones, the defendants repeatedly relied on social media, specifically Facebook and Snapchat, to sell and procure drugs and brazenly brag and display illegal firearms. The indictment seeks a money judgment against both Civitellos of $600,000, the estimated street value of all the drugs. Posted 8 Jun 2021 8 Jun 2021 Tue 8 Jun 2021 at 6:25am , updated . The investigation dubbed Operation Crosstown Quarantine centered on two rival crosstown gangs in Albany and included the use of physical surveillance, electronic surveillance, and undercover operations. So obviously, it's higher. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). A cat cafis coming to Rotterdam. With opioid deaths on the rise across Albany, Schenectady and Rensselaer Counties, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is launching a plan to beef up addiction services and fight the flow of drugs into the area. A lock ( Police also found the drugs out in the open, resulting in possession charges against each of the nine people police found inside, Lorusso said. Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. Other members of the Downtown Associates, known as the 50 Gang a reference to the high-capacity magazines that they attach to their firearms, which allow them to hold up to 50 rounds of ammunition were utilizing Snapchat to post videos and pictures of illegal weapons, which they and their fellow members used to carry out their gang violence activities. The investigation started in April 2021, and focused on two people Auburn police said are gang leaders: Nicholas Neville . Box 7198 The drug bust was the largest in Cayuga County in a decade, police said. "In 2020, there were 165 fentanyl deaths. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Operation Oxfordshire began earlier this year, identifying a southeast Queensland syndicate that was trafficking cocaine from Sydney. In court papers, Barnett told the judge that Civitello had also exchanged messages over Snapchat that appeared to be related to the distribution of opioid pills. Schenectady County District Attorney Bob Carney : "The amount of money that we were suggesting we should apply for which is $100,000 will allow us to at least bring on a crime analyst working at the Capital District Regional Crime Analysis Center, who will be dedicated to trafficking patterns and crime issues in Schenectady County," Carney said. I'm a smart guy. A baby on the way. However, the "Google Translate" option may assist you in reading it in other languages. In one photo, a tattoo is visible on Civitello's arm which states: "La Famiglia e tutto." 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. We will continue to take every action possible to get guns off our streets, and I thank the Albany Police Department, and all our partners in law enforcement, for their support in protecting our communities., Dangerous drugs and weapons have no place in our communities, said Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins. The State of New York, its officers, employees, and/or agents shall not be liable for damages or losses of any kind arising out of, or in connection with, the use or performance of such information, including but not limited to, damages or losses caused by reliance upon the accuracy of any such information, or damages incurred from the viewing, distributing, or copying of such materials. I thank Attorney General James and her staff for dedicating time and resources to these cases, said Albany County District Attorney David Soares. Schumer says in a statement the new funding will strengthen treatment access in Schenectady County by facilitating critical partnerships between public health agencies and law enforcement, and grants can be used to purchase critical equipment like Naloxone kits for first responders to mitigate the number of overdoses and prevent deaths. That was a close call. What to know. Keion Kirkley, El Shaquille Douglas, and Daion Morris regularly sold illegal prescription medication (oxycodone and others) over Snapchat by posting pictures and/or videos of pill bottles marked Oxycodone with captions, such as Boots! A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. During the course of the investigation, OCTF was able to establish that numerous members of the Downtown Associates were utilizing Snapchat in order to traffic illegal prescription drugs, namely oxycodone. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Northern District of New York Two people were injured after a shooting on Dix Avenue early Thursday morning. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Hilts a 26-year-old from Albany has been charged with 10 counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, in varying degrees. The first conspiracy centers around the Uptown Associates gang and the leader of this drug distribution network: Jamar Brayboy, a/k/a Un. Brayboy employed a vast network of individuals to sell his drugs and had numerous reseller customers that brought heroin and cocaine from New York City to sell in and around the Capital Region, as well as New York and Orange counties, and even had resellers bringing drugs to Vermont. Select a Language Below/Seleccione el Idioma Abajo. The ring then distributed it to. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 18 Swept Up in Rockland Undercover Drug Operation - New City, NY - Scores of undercover drug buys, including oxycodone, cocaine and heroin, in Clarkstown, Orangetown, Haverstraw, Ramapo and Stony . He alleged that Civitello and his family are falsely claiming to work at the family business. Since launching in 2017, SURGE has taken 644alleged traffickers off the streets. Democratic Michelle Ostrelich, who is also running for state Senate in the new 44th district, chairs Schenectady County Legislatures Health, Housing and Human Services Committee. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Vincent Morton, 41, of Schenectady, NY; 04/20/21 - Town of Colonie. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Read More. NEW YORK - Over 120 pounds of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine were recovered in New York City, Philadelphia, and Lima, Peru as part of an international drug bust announced Thursday that saw. The Democrat announced that the Office of National Drug Control Policy has heeded his call and granted Schenectady Countys request to be designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The lawsuit accused them of causing a health crisis by distributing 81 million pills over eight years in one West Virginia county ravaged by opioid addiction.