Five Members Of Washington Heights Drug Crew Charged With Distribution Of Cocaine, Heroin, And Fentanyl
NEW YORK - James J. Hunt, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement (DEA), Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James P. O’Neill, Police Commissioner of the City of New (“NYPD”), and George P. Beach II, the Superintendent of the New York State (“NYSP”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging Amin Hernandez, a/k/a “Face,” Miguel Gil, Joralbi Lora, a/k/a “K,” Ismael Garcia, a/k/a “Swiss,” and Francisco Tibulciomerino, a/k/a “Cousin,” with conspiring to distribute crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl in Washington Heights. Hernandez, Lora, and Tibulciomerino were arrested last night, and will be presented today before United States Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Peck. Gil and Garcia are already in state custody and will be transferred to federal custody shortly. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska.
DEA Special Agent-In-Charge James J. Hunt said: “As drug overdose rates rise throughout the country, this drug crew allegedly pushed a toxic medley of drugs onto our streets. We will continue to investigate traffickers at all levels in an effort to stop the number of overdoses and drug-related fatalities.” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, this drug crew was responsible for distributing highly addictive drugs, including fentanyl, an extremely lethal drug 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. These arrests are part of our continued commitment to stem the opioid epidemic that is plaguing our nation and our City. We thank our partners in the NYPD and DEA for their outstanding work in this investigation.”
Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “This group was allegedly involved in the business of bringing potentially deadly drugs to the streets of Washington Heights. But now they have learned that our Drug Enforcement Task Force is in the business of bringing them to the halls of justice.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today:
Amin Hernandez, a/k/a “Face,” Miguel Gil, Joralbi Lora, a/k/a “K,” Ismael Garcia, a/k/a “Swiss,” and Francisco Tibulciomerino, a/k/a “Cousin,” conspired to distribute 280 grams and more of cocaine base, or “crack,” 500 grams and more of powder cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl. Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding work of the DEA, the NYPD, and the State Police. This case was done by NYPD and DEA’s REDRUM group in the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force. The Task Force comprises agents and officers of the DEA, New York City Police Department, and New York State Police.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Maimin is 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
