4 charged in New York for drug ring conspiracy
NEW YORK — Four people were arrested on federal drug charges Wednesday for conspiring to sell heroin out of a retail storefront in Newburgh, NY.
These arrests resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), in conjunction with the New York State Police Community and Narcotics Enforcement Team (NYSP CNET) and the City of Newburgh (New York) Police Department (CNPD).
The arrests of Victor M. Rivas, 51, of Newburgh, Edward Cardona, 33, of Newburgh, Julio A. Davila, 26, of Newburgh, Victor R. Rivas, 28, of Newburgh, and Ronald L. Matias, 35, a/k/a “Ronald Louis” stem from a narcotics conspiracy to establish a retail heroin-selling organization.
Each is charged with one count of conspiring to violate the narcotics laws of the United States, by conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1 kilogram and more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin.
“This organization allegedly operated daily selling drugs out of their store while posing as a legitimate business. Using fake storefronts has been a way for criminals to hide in our neighborhoods while poisoning our communities,” said Angel M. Melendez, special agent in charge of HSI New York. “Whether it’s a sham barber shop or a bogus sports store, there is no place to hide. HSI and its law enforcement partners continue to work tirelessly, day and night, to find these drug pushers and take them off our streets.”
According to the complaint, since January 2016, law enforcement agents have been involved in an investigation of a narcotics trafficking organization run by Rivas, with the assistance of Cardona, Davila, V. R. Rivas, and Matias, that operates in and around Newburgh, New York, and specifically at a storefront location that alternately operates as a soccer shop and a barbershop, aka the Soccer Shop.
Federal search warrants were executed on several locations where law enforcement believed the organizers were storing narcotics. Authorities seized a brick containing a substance that appeared to be heroin from behind the shop, and approximately $250,000 in cash from a storage unit.
During this investigation, undercover state police officers and confidential sources conducted dozens of controlled buys of heroin at the business from several of the defendants. In aggregate, from January 2016 to November 2016, authorities purchased approximately 515 glassine envelopes of heroin. Ten envelopes typically contain a quarter gram of heroin.
Law enforcement officials believe that the individuals distributed well over a kilogram of heroin from January 2016 through November 2016. During the course of this investigation, the only business authorities observed to be conducted inside the business was the illegal sale of narcotics.
Victor R. Rivas, who was also charged in this case, is currently incarcerated on state charges and will be transported to federal custody to face the federal narcotics conspiracy charges.
This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office – Southern District of New York’s White Plains division. The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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