Eight Defendants Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Narcotics Trafficking In The Bronx
MANHATTAN, N.Y. - - James J. Hunt, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement (DEA), Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police (NYPD), today announced the unsealing of an indictment charging a total of eight defendants with engaging in the distribution of crack cocaine and marijuana in the vicinity of the Soundview Houses housing project in the 43rd Precinct, in the Bronx, New York. One of the defendants, Elliot James, aka “L Boogie,” aka “Ace,” was also charged with using a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes. Seven defendants were arrested today, and one defendant remains at large. The seven defendants who are in custody will be presented and arraigned before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman later today. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald.
DEA Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt said: “These eight defendants allegedly made the Soundview Houses their stomping ground for drug trafficking. No one chooses to live next door to drug dealers and today’s arrests have paved ground for a safer neighborhood with less drugs and drug-related crimes.”
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “The Soundview Houses residents deserve to live free of drug-dealing and guns in their neighborhood, something that the eight defendants charged today allegedly made difficult. We thank our partners at the DEA and NYPD for their efforts in this and other investigations aimed at keeping our communities safe from drugs and gun violence.”
As alleged in the indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
Between 2014 and February 2017, Elliot James, aka “L Boogie,” aka “Ace,” Jamel Davis, aka “Pootie,” Tyler Massey, aka “Gordo,” Donovan Moss, aka “Don,” Jonathan Nunez, aka “Munna,” Brandon Ramseur, aka “BR,” Jonathan Reyes, aka “Grillz,” and Jamel Sims, aka “Jamal Brown,” conspired to sell crack cocaine and marijuana in the vicinity of the Soundview Houses in the Bronx. During the course of the conspiracy, the defendants sold crack cocaine to confidential informants and undercover law enforcement officers on numerous occasions. Certain defendants also sold crack cocaine to the undercover officers on behalf of their co-conspirators or worked together to complete the sales to the undercover officers.
The defendants face maximum terms of life in prison and mandatory minimum terms of 10 years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court.
A chart containing the names, ages, and residences of the defendants who were arrested today is below.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA and the NYPD.
These cases are being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Longyear, Jessica Fender, and Scott Hartman are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
United States v. Elliot James, et al. -
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the indictment and the description of the indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
