United States Drug Enforcement Administration

NEW YORK CITY – An indictment filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor and unsealed today in Manhattan Supreme Court charges three defendants in connection with a large-scale narcotics and weapons possession conspiracy. Accused ringleader Terry Barbour faces 32 counts, including Operating as a Major Trafficker, Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Third Degrees, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second and Third Degrees, and other crimes.

Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division, Bridget G. Brennan, New York City’s Special Narcotics Prosecutor, New York City Police Commissioner Dermot F. Shea, New York State Police Acting Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced the indictment in conjunction with scheduled arraignments this afternoon before Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Abraham Clott.

New charges against Barbour, Perry Funchess and Daya Sanders resulting from a yearlong investigation that continued after the initial arrests in the case. The investigation was conducted by members of DEA-led New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, Group T-31, comprised of DEA agents, New York City Police Department detectives and New York State Police investigators.

In total, members of NYDETF Group T-31 recovered approximately 18 kilograms of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine (40 pounds), with an estimated street value of $4 million, plus seven semi-automatic weapons, a bulletproof vest, large quantities of ammunition and magazines in Queens and Brooklyn. Five of the semi-automatic guns were seized from a Brooklyn storage unit associated with Barbour and Sanders during a court-authorized search on January 22, 2021.

The narcotics and two guns were recovered in December of 2020 as members of NYDETF Group T-31 identified and dismantled a heroin and fentanyl packaging mill located inside an apartment at 94-04 80th Street, Apt. 1 in Ozone Park, Queens. In the days leading up to the seizure, agents and officers established surveillance and watched as Barbour and Funchess entered and exited the building, sometimes carrying bags. On December 15, 2020, members of NYDETF Group T-31 allegedly observed Funchess allegedly carrying a duffle bag and a gray backpack from the apartment to the trunk of an Infinity Q70 sedan. Barbour left the apartment shortly afterwards.

Agents and officers stopped the Infinity several blocks away, finding Funchess alone in the sedan with the bags, which allegedly contained the majority of the 18 kilograms of narcotics recovered during the investigation. Also inside the car were a loaded AK-47 rifle, a.380 caliber pistol and an empty AK-15 clip (although an AR-15 was not recovered).

On the following day, December 16, 2020, a court-authorized search of 94-04 80th Street, Apt. 1, yielded approximately one and a half kilograms of narcotics, as well as all of the materials, equipment and paraphernalia necessary for packaging narcotics.

On January 7, 2021, agents and officers arrested Barbour on a felony warrant as he approached his Jeep Grand Cherokee on Ralph Avenue in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Bail for Barbour was set at $1 million cash/$2 million bond.

That same day, Sanders, who resided with Barbour in Rockaway, Queens, was stopped in possession of approximately $16,500 in suspected narcotics proceeds. She was released and members of NYDETF Group T-31 and the Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office launched a financial investigation. Agents and officers soon obtained information that Sanders allegedly maintained a Brooklyn storage unit at 486 Stanley Avenue, in East New York, Brooklyn.

Based on information developed during the investigation, on January 22, 2021, NYDETF Group T-31 conducted a court-authorized search of 486 Stanley Avenue, Unit 2839. Inside they found five semi-automatic guns, including three MAC-11 submachine guns, magazines for all of the guns, including extended magazines, ammunition and an empty AR-15 clip (despite no AR-15 having been recovered). Also present were a bulletproof vest, a gun cleaning kit and documents bearing Barbour’s name.

Members of NYDETF Group T-31 also obtained security footage from the storage facility. A review of footage from December 29, 2020 (two weeks after the arrest of Funchess and the seizure of 18 kilograms of narcotics) showed two individuals appearing to be Barbour and Sanders remove three large duffel bags from the storage unit.

Members of NYDETF Group T-31 arrested Sanders on February 24, 2021 on a criminal court complaint filed by the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor. Bail was set at $50,000 bond. A court-authorized search of her home 335 Beach 70th St., Apt. 1, yielded approximately $4,000 cash and records. Also present in the home were tall stacks of boxes containing brand new luxury clothing items valued at up to $200,000.

The new indictment charges Sanders with 20 counts, including Conspiracy in the Second Degree and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second and Third Degrees. Funchess faces 13 counts, including Conspiracy in the Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Third Degrees, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second and Third Degrees, and other crimes. Bail for Funchess is set at $500,000 cash, $1 million bond/$2 million partially secured bond.

Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan thanked Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and commended her office’s Special Investigations Bureau and the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, including members of the DEA, the New York State Police and the New York City Police Department, for their work on the case.

Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge, DEA New York Division, said, “The past year has reinforced the interdependent relationship between guns and illegal drugs.   In fact, statistics show that gun violence, drug seizures, and drug overdoses have comparably risen in New York City.  By seizing this large cache of weapons from a storage unit and seizing millions of dollars’ worth of drugs in Queens, law enforcement is making the city safer.”  SAC Donovan commends the NYC Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office and law enforcement partners and the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force. 

“The skill and dedication demonstrated by the team of detectives, agents, investigators and attorneys who worked on this case undoubtedly saved many lives.  The investigation did not end with the seizure of 40 pounds of narcotics, but continued for weeks, leading to the recovery of seven automatic weapons.  We will continue to work with our partners to make New York City a safer place,” said Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan.

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said, “Illegal guns and narcotics in our neighborhoods are a dangerous combination that far too often leads to death and heartache. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their hard work in getting those who peddle addictive drugs and arm themselves with assault weapons off our streets. My Office will continue to work collaboratively with our counterparts to do everything possible to keep Queens County a safe place to live and work.”

“The NYPD, with our partners at the Special Narcotics Prosecutor’s Office and the DEA’s New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, are making New York City safer by focusing on the relatively small percentage of criminals responsible for much of our city’s criminal activity. I commend the investigators involved in this investigation and the attorneys of the Special Narcotics Prosecutors’ Office for their dedication to this investigation which resulted in these three indictments and significant firearms and drug seizures,” said Police Commissioner Dermot Shea.

State Police Acting Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said, “With our continuing work on this case, we are sending a message of no tolerance to those who put our communities at risk by trafficking in dangerous drugs and violence. I want to thank the members of the task force and the prosecutors for their ongoing partnership.”

The charges and allegations are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.