BRONX, NY – Forty-nine alleged members and associates of two vicious Bronx drug distribution networks are facing federal charges after a sweeping takedown announced today by a coalition of federal and local law enforcement. The indictments detail a landscape of narcotics peddling, armed robbery, and, disturbingly, a direct link to the December 11, 2016, murder of Jose Morales.
Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Joon H. Kim, laid out the scope of the operation, detailing two separate indictments. The first, United States v. James Felton, et al., targets 15 individuals allegedly operating out of East 175th Street and Monroe Avenue. The second, United States v. Edwin Romero, et al., focuses on a 34-member organization controlling territory around Weeks Avenue and East 176th Street. Both groups are accused of flooding the Mount Hope section of the Bronx with deadly drugs and cultivating a climate of fear.
The charges are substantial, ranging from narcotics offenses to violent crimes. Crucially, four defendants are specifically accused of participating in the murder of Jose Morales, allegedly carried out to further their illicit drug business. Defendants JAMES FELTON, JAMES DIAZ, and ANDRE FELTON were already in federal custody on related charges and will be arraigned before U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley on March 23, 2017. The remaining defendants were presented before Magistrate Judges Barbara C. Moses and Henry B. Pitman today.
“Dozens of alleged members of two drug distribution organizations have been charged with peddling potentially lethal drugs,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Kim. “Many are also charged with committing violent crimes, including four who allegedly murdered Jose Morales in furtherance of their drug business. All New Yorkers are entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of their homes, free from the devastating effects of drugs and the violence that can accompany drug trafficking.” Bronx County District Attorney Darcel D. Clark echoed these sentiments, stating the case “crystallizes how drug dealing’s attendant violence devastates our neighborhoods,” adding that the organizations “held the Mount Hope area in a vise grip.”
NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill highlighted the significance of the coordinated effort. “Today’s arrests are the latest example of drug dealing that led to violence, including armed robberies and a murder in the Bronx, as alleged,” he said. “This type of precision policing is leading to further reductions in crime.” Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge of HSI, described the organizations as having “flooded the community of Mount Hope in the Bronx with heroin, crack cocaine, fear and death.” James J. Hunt, Special Agent-in-Charge of the DEA, added that the neighborhoods were turned into war zones by drug dealers.
The indictments represent a significant blow to organized crime in the Bronx, but the fight is far from over. Law enforcement officials vowed to continue targeting drug trafficking organizations and dismantling the networks that prey on vulnerable communities. The investigation remains ongoing, and further arrests are anticipated. The case serves as a grim reminder of the human cost of the drug trade and the relentless efforts required to reclaim streets from those who profit from misery and violence.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime|Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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