4 THE QUEENS COURIER • JULY 8, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Far Rockaway ring of drug dealers, gun traffi ckers swept up in raid: DA
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
A network of drug dealers and gun
traffi ckers was smashed during a raid at
the Redfern Houses in Far Rockaway,
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz
announced during a press conference
with NYPD offi cials last week.
A group of 21 defendants were indicted
by a Queens grand jury and are variously
charged in fi ve diff erent indictments with
allegedly running and/or possessing guns
and dealing drugs in the Redfern Houses
and surrounding neighborhoods between
November 2019 and March 2021.
“Attorneys from my offi ce and members
of the NYPD’s Gun Violence Suppression
Division worked tirelessly for months,
focusing our investigation where drugs
and guns have been a toxic combination
for far too long, made so by individual
drivers of crime,” Katz said. “Police
recovered fi rearms, cocaine, heroin, heroin
laced with fentanyl and other illicit
drugs during this operation.”
Utilizing surveillance techniques,
undercover buys and other investigative
tools, the district attorney’s Violent
Criminal Enterprise Bureau, working
in conjunction with the Gun Recidivist
Investigation Program, conducted a longterm
investigation to uncover gun running
and illicit narcotics sales in Queens.
Katz said the investigation began in
November 2019 with a court-authorized
eavesdropping warrant on a cellphone
belonging to defendant Antoine Nance,
35, of Almeda Avenue in Far Rockaway,
who has been charged with criminal sale
of a controlled substance, conspiracy and
other crimes.
Monitoring Nance’s calls led to the discovery
of a network of two groups of
alleged dealers in Far Rockaway. Law
enforcement intercepted both narcotics
and fi rearm-related communications
between Nance and many other defendants.
“Th is investigation highlights our joint
responsibilities in eradicating shootings,
illegal fi rearms and the violence of the
narcotics trade that tear at the fabric of life
in our city,” Police Commissioner Dermot
Shea said. “Our NYPD offi cers, with our
partners in the Queens district attorney’s
offi ce, have worked tirelessly throughout
the pandemic to ensure that those who
live and work in the Far Rockaway neighborhood
can be safe, and we embrace
these charges as a measure of justice.”
According to the charges, calls and text
messages between Nance and Kimiko
Leonard, 34, of Linden Boulevard in
Jamaica, allegedly revealed that a female
defendant was Nance’s main drug supplier.
On a monthly basis Leonard, who
works as a conductor for the MTA, is
alleged to have sold Nance his usual order
of cocaine. Th e pair allegedly used code
words to set up buys with Nance, texting
her that “he needed to ride to 200 Street,”
which actually meant he wanted to buy
200 grams of cocaine, according to the
charges.
Results of the investigation identifi ed
Kasson Brown, 32, of Beach 19th Street in
Far Rockaway, who is accused of being a
top supplier of both cocaine and heroin in
the region who, to avoid detection by law
enforcement, used runners to sell drugs
on the streets. Katz said Brown’s crew of
runners allegedly branded their drugs,
packing the heroin they sold into glassine
envelopes stamped in red with the words
“King of Death” along with a photo of the
Grim Reaper. Tests on the substance within
the envelopes revealed a mix of heroin,
fentanyl and tramadol. At times, tests
showed the substance was pure fentanyl.
Th e investigation also led to a Nov.
1, 2020, court-authorized search of the
Redfern Avenue home of defendant
Sehou Santiago, 32. Investigators allegedly
recovered a Glock pistol, a high-capacity
magazine, a loaded magazine, a laser
sight, 114 grams of heroin and fentanyl
and 269 grams of cocaine.
“My offi ce is committed to working
with our law enforcement partners to
make certain no community is held hostage
to those who seek to profi t from
human misery,” Katz said.
During the investigation, one of the
wiretap targets, Ernest Th omas, was shot
and killed coming out of the Redfern
Houses. Th e district attorney’s Violent
Criminal Enterprises Bureau is still investigating
that murder. Th omas had allegedly
been acting in concert with defendant
Pauletta Williams, 34, of Beach 54th
Street in Far Rockaway, and conspiring
with others in the case to sell narcotics,
according to the DA’s offi ce.
Addabbo to host second COVID-19 antibody testing event
BY PAUL JUNIOR PRUDENT
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
As temperatures rise, COVID-19
restrictions ease, and vaccination numbers
continue to go up in the city, Queens
State Senator Joseph Addabbo is bringing
a COVID-19 antibody testing event to the
Rockaways later this month.
Th e Queens lawmaker is partnering
with local medical facility Valhalla Medics
and Th e Wave newspaper to bring the
event to the community. It will take place
on Friday, July 23, from noon to 2 p.m.
and will be held outside of Th e Wave’s
offi ce, located at 438 Beach 129th St. in
Rockaway Park.
“Th is testing event is a great way for vaccinated
individuals to see if the COVID-
19 antibodies are present in their system,”
Addabbo said. “Even if you are fully vaccinated,
it is important to still get tested
for COVID.”
According to the CDC there is not yet
enough evidence that shows how long
the vaccines can protect people. Senator
Addabbo said there is still a small chance
that community members can contract
the virus and spread it, potentially to
someone who’s not vaccinated.
Th e test that will be given is a rapid IgG/
IgM antibody test that can detect and differentiate
between the presence of the
short-term (IgM) and the long-term (IgG)
antibodies. Patients will get their results
aft er about a 10-minute wait and a nearly
painless fi nger prick.
Senator Addabbo said it’s important for
people to get the COVID-19 antibody test
to know if they are protected.
“I had an antibody test before I was vaccinated
and it showed no antibodies in my
system,” Addabbo said. “But aft er I received
both of my vaccine shots, I took the test
again at the last testing event I held with
Valhalla Medics, and I had the antibodies.”
Last June, Addabbo partnered with
Valhalla Medics to bring the fi rst antibody
testing event in Broad Channel. More
than 60 people came out to check and see
if they have their COVID-19 antibodies.
According to the CDC, it’s essential to
get tested for antibodies even aft er being
vaccinated because it can 1) show antibodies
from the COVID-19 vaccine; 2)
determine if you had the virus in the
past; and/or 3) show a current infection
of COVID-19. Data has shown that even
if an individual is vaccinated, there is a
small chance that they can still contract
COVID-19 and spread it to others.
For the free antibody testing event, no
insurance is necessary to participate and
anyone can register. Interested individuals
can call Senator Addabbo’s offi ce to secure
a spot or just walk up to the testing location
on the day of the event.
Valhalla Medics will be providing free
giveaways for all those who go get the free
antibody test.
Th ose who are interested in the testing
and wish to register prior to the event
can call Senator Addabbo’s offi ce at 718-
738-1111.
Photo via Getty Images
State Senator Joseph Addabbo will host another
free antibody testing event later this month in
Rockaway.
Photos courtesy of Queens DA
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that a group of 21 individuals were indicted after
law enforcement smashed their drug dealing and gun traffi cking ring in Far Rockaway.
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