Attorney General James Announces Convictions of Capital Region Drug Traffickers Who Sold Heroin, Fentanyl, and Cocaine

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the convictions of members of a major drug trafficking ring that distributed heroin and fentanyl, as well as powder and crack cocaine in Albany, Dutchess, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties. An investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) resulted in the indictment of 25 individuals in November 2023, and recovered more than three kilograms of cocaine and approximately 40 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl, which have a combined potential street value of approximately $350,000. The investigation also recovered four handguns, two large capacity ammunition feeding devices, and over $50,000 in cash. 23 individuals charged in the investigation have pleaded guilty, and the first defendant was sentenced yesterday to 7 ½ to 15 years in prison for his role in the trafficking operation after being convicted at trial. 

“We are committed to ending the opioid crisis in our state, and that means addressing this problem from every angle, including stopping dangerous drug traffickers who bring fentanyl into our communities,” said Attorney General James. “This drug trafficking ring ran a widespread network to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of narcotics, and now they are being brought to justice. I thank all of our partners in this investigation for their hard work to protect our communities and keep New Yorkers safe.”

The OAG’s investigation centered on the activities of several key individuals in the Capital Region who bought and sold large quantities of drugs. Alexander Torres and Yamillet Galarza were central figures in the narcotics distribution network, and they often partnered together to obtain and sell heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine in Rensselaer County. Torres had four different sources of supply for the cocaine and narcotics, and he sold the drugs to a network of customers around the Capital Region. Torres purchased heroin laced with fentanyl from a Bronx-based narcotics dealer in custom-designed bags stamped with the phrase “American Gangster” as a brand to distinguish his narcotics from other local sellers.

Efrain Acevado was also a major cocaine distributor in this operation. During the course of the investigation, Acevado opened a restaurant called “El Coqui,” in Troy, and he sold narcotics to customers from the restaurant and used it as a location to stash his narcotics and related proceeds.

The investigation, led by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), included the New York State Police, City of Troy Police Department, the Rensselaer County Sheriff’s Office, Schenectady Police Department and the Schenectady Sheriff’s Office. The year-long investigation, which concluded in November 2023 with the indictment of 25 individuals, included covert surveillance and hundreds of hours of wiretaps over more than two dozen target phones.

Defendant Elvis Colon, a/k/a “Minino”, a heroin and fentanyl trafficker in Rensselaer County who was part of the drug trafficking operation, was sentenced yesterday to 7 ½ to 15 years in prison. Colon was convicted by a jury on charges of Conspiracy in the Second Degree and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree on October 4, 2024. 

23 of the remaining defendants in the case have pleaded guilty: 

• Erick Baez pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison.
• Raul Baez pleaded guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison.
• Jose Cintron pleaded guilty to Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison. 
• Javier Colon pleaded guilty to Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a class B felony and Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, a class A-I felony. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in state prison.
• Mercedes Danahy pleaded guilty to Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. She faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison.
• James Foley pleaded guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison.
• Jack Frazier pleaded guilty to Attempted Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree, a class D felony. He faces a maximum sentence of two and a half years in state prison.
• Jose Galarza pleaded guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison.
• Yamillet Galarza pleaded guilty to Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. She faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison.
• Vladimir Guzman Grullon pleaded guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison.
• David Harden pleaded guilty to Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison.
• Mark House pleaded guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison.
• Karim Little pleaded guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison.
• Jordan McCullen pleaded guilty to Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of 12 years in state prison.
• Jahtiek Milisci pleaded guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison.
• Beau Moreau pleaded guilty to Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison.
• Michael Nelson pleaded guilty to Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison.
• Tracy Taylor pleaded guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. She faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison.
• Denzel Timot pleaded guilty to Criminal Possession of a Firearm, a class E felony. He faces a maximum sentence of nine years in state prison.
• Alexander Torres pleaded guilty to Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, a class A-II felony. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison.
• Israel Vasquez pleaded guilty to Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in state prison.
• Abner Velasquez pleaded guilty to Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, a class A-II felony. He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison.
• David Venson pleaded guilty to Criminal possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree, a class C felony. He faces a maximum sentence of eight years in state prison.

Attorney General James would like to thank Rensselaer District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly and the Schenectady County Drug Task Force for their assistance in the investigation. 

The investigation was directed by New York State Police Investigator Matthew Guiry under the supervision of Senior Investigators Robert Martin and Vonnie Vardine and OCTF Detective Michael Connelly, with the assistance of the U.S. Army National Guard Counterdrug Task Force, under the supervision of OCTF Supervising Detective Brian Fleming, OCTF Assistant Chief Investigator John Monte, and OCTF Deputy Chief Investigator Andrew Boss. The Attorney General’s Investigations Division is led by Chief Oliver Pu-Folkes.

The case and jury trial was conducted by OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorney General Andrew McElwee, with the assistance of legal support analysts Stephanie Donovan and AnnaLisa MacPhee, under the supervision of OCTF Upstate Deputy Bureau Chief Maria Moran. Nicole Keary is the Deputy Attorney General in Charge of OCTF. The Criminal Justice Division is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Jose Maldonado. Both the Investigations Division and the Criminal Justice Division are overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.