| Sale of
Fentanyl
Resulting in
Death
Triggered
Detentions Now
Two Plead
Guilty
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack SDNY EXCLUSIVE,
June 25 รข€“ Many
people are
killed by
fentanyl these
days. On
the morning of
July 14, 2023
Inner City
Press covered
the sentencing
to three years
of a man for
causing a
deadly
overdose of
another, Peter
Krasniqi. Only
his family,
and Inner City
Press, were in
the courtroom
gallery.
Later
on July 14, a
20-year old
woman charged
with causing
the death of
the grandson
of actor
Robert De Niro
was held, with
significantly
more interest.
As in the
first case,
Inner City
Press was
there, thread Since
then, with no
docketing of
this defendant
Sophia Marks
being
released,
there are 16
"Sealed
Documents
Placed in
Vault." On
October 30,
Inner City
Press learned
the 16
defendants
would be
presented in
SDNY Mag
court(s) under
indictment
25-cr-484 -
which is now
on Patreon here On
November 4 one
more defendant
was presented
and detained,
on consent
without
prejudice. On
November 5 the
many
defendants in
US v. Brown
were brought
into Judge
Cote's
courtroom.
Inner City
Press was
there. While
the US
Marshals say
that no
criminal trial
with more than
four
defendants is
possible
during the
shutdown,
Judge Cote set
a trial date
for all but
one on
September 14,
2026. On
April 30,
2026, a trial
for
co-defendant
Johnson was
set for
December 7,
2026. On
June 3 Judge
Cote signed
and correctly
docketed an
"ex parte"
request for
counsel to
co-defendant
Cuevas for a
private
investigator.
100 hours at
$110 an hour
had been
requested; 40
hours were
approved
without
prejudice to a
request for
more "for
specific
tasks." On
June 18, white
shoe CJA
counsel for
the lead named
defendant
filed a motion
for a bill of
particulars,
say there is
not "a single
piece of
evidence
demonstrating
that Mr. Brown
was a member
of the charged
conspiracy." On
June 25 Judge
Cote docketed
an order
setting a
change of plea
for
co-defendant
Lugg on June
29. In
fact this
guilty plea
took place on
July 2. Inner
City Press was
there, as the
defendant in
Hudson County
Correctional
Facility
green,
allocuted. His
sentencing was
set for
October 8 at
2:30 pm. Another
co-defendant
Tannenbaum
also pled
guilty on July
2, with
sentencing set
for October 2
at 11 am. The
first case is
US v. Marks,
23-mj-5518
(Wang) The
next case is
USA v. Brown,
et al.,
25-cr-484
(Cote) More
analysis on
Substack here
*** Your
support means a lot. As little as $5 a month
helps keep us going and grants you access to
exclusive bonus material on our Patreon
page. Click
here to become a patron. 
Feedback:
Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box130222 NY NY 10013 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis. Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City
Press, Inc. To request reprint or other
permission, e-contact Editorial [at]
innercitypress.com |
Friday, July 3, 2026
Sale of Fentanyl Resulting in Death Triggered Detentions Now Two Plead Guilty
24 in Upper Manhattan Drug Case Got Huge Video Now Delay Request Landlord Sale Cited
| 24 in
Upper
Manhattan Drug
Case Got Huge
Video Now
Delay Request
Landlord Sale
Cited
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack SDNY COURTHOUSE,
July 2 รข€“ Christopher Santos
and more than a dozen others
have been indicted for a
narcotics conspiracy in Upper
Manhattan. On
September 15, 2023
co-defendant Mercedes appeared
with only his lawyer before
U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of New York
Judge Gregory H. Woods.Inner
City Press was there. Mercedes
had missed a September 6 mass
proceeding at which a schedule
had been set, with Speedy
Trial Act time excluded
through December 12,
2023. The initial
complain describes drug sales
in front of 2304 Amsterdam
Avenue, near 174th Street. Jump cut to
February 6, 2024, when Judge
Woods courtroom was full, with
some defendants out on bond in
the gallery, with lawyers, and
others defendants in the jury
box. One defense lawyer got a
big laugh when he pointed to
his client, the foreman in
that good lucking jury. At the
defense's request, the case
was put over into June. There
is a new NYPD / TARU video, 5
terabytes, that can barely be
seen on the computers in the
MDC. Expect severance - and,
the prosecutors said, plea
bargains. On July 19,
co-defendant Jawan Mills pled
guilty to Count 1, with
sentencing set for October 16
at 10 am. He was not included
in the superceding indictment
filed on July 18. On July 30
co-defendant David Glover pled
guilty and was ordered
immediately remanded, with
sentencing set for November 25
at 11 am. On July 31
co-defendant Christopher
Espinal pled guilty with
sentencing set for November 22
at 3 pm; detention was
continued. On August 14,
counsel for co-defendant
Caminero wrote in and asking
for 35 months on August 28. On August 16, the
lead defendant came in, not in
custody, to be arraigned on
the S6 indictment, pleading
not guilty in the run up to
the trial now set for November
4. On August 21, on
Caminero the US Attorney's
Office wrote in and asked for
70 months, noting "his
attempts to intimidate a
witness through social media
posts." On August 28,
Caminero got 60 months. Jump cut to
October 31, 2024, when
co-defendant Juan Checo pled
guilty, in the Magistrates
Court, before Magistrate Judge
Barbara C. Moses. Inner City
Press was there. He said he's
39, GED and a semester of
college. The indictment says
his a/k/a is Pickle. The
sentencing date is said to be
February 18, 2025. On November 7
co-Defendant Espinal's lawyer
wrote in asking for 60 months
on November 22, saying that
"like Rasholnikov... Espinal
is ready to justice work on
changing him." On November 22,
Espinal was sentenced to 90
months. On December 20,
Alex Garcia was up for
sentencing, in the green
jumpsuit of Hudson County
Corrections. His lawyer spoke
of a cookout in Washington
Heights and the supporters in
the courtroom. Judge Woods
sentenced him to 90 months and
wished him well. On December 2
counsel to co-defendant
Alvarado wrote in asking for
the 5 year minimum... On December 17,
Alvarado got 132 months. On January 10,
2025 the US Attorney's Office
wrote in asking for seven
years on co-defendant Pichardo
on January 17. On January 15,
co-defendant Glover was
sentenced to 60 months - five
years. And on January
21, lead named defendant
Santos was sentenced to five
years. On January 22,
co-defendant Ebron pled guilty
to Count 3 of the S2
Indictment, with sentencing
set for April 25 at 11 am. On February 10
counsel for co-defendant Alvin
Eusebio wrote in asking for
360 months, concurrent, then
scheduled for on March 3. It
was postponed to April 29. On March 24 Judge
Wood granted Alvin Eusebio's
lawyer's motion to vacate the
portion of the jury verdict
concerning 500 grams or more
of meth, finding that his
leadership role was not
sufficient and that the
evidence did not establish he
knew the "E pills" were meth. On March 12,
docketed as a pro se bid to
withdraw guilty plea by
defendant Ramirez. On April 29,
Alvin Eusebio was sentenced to
442 months - 300 consecutive
to 142... On July 2
co-defendant Paulino in a
redacted submission asked for
six years. On July 9 the US
asked for 10 years on Paulino. On July 14,
Paulino was sentenced to 108
months: nine years. On July 22 the US
Attorney's Office wrote in
asking for 25 years on
co-defendant Francisco. Docketed on
August 18, the judgment: 300
months, or 25 years. On September 29
before a September 30 hearing
on Ramirez' motion to withdraw
his guilty plea, his counsel
wrote in to "ask that all
non-party witnesses be
excluded during the testimony
of others." Inner City Press
went on October 29 - former
defense counsel was in the
jury box being questioned by
new counsel, about whether or
not Ramirez continued to deny
certain drugs even as he asked
to plead guilty. The hearing
was said to be continued to
November 5. But on October 31
his new defense counsel wrote
in that he does not intend to
call Ivan Smith as a witness.
Judge Woods canceled a hearing
and said no further filings
are needed. He will issue an
order. On December 8,
the motion to withdraw guilty
plea was denied. On December 12
the parties proposed the week
of May 25, 2026 for
sentencing. On January 9 the
US Attorney's Office wrote in
with defendant's position that
a Fatico hearing is needed "to
ensure an accurate and
individualized sentencing
determination." On May 21 the US
Attorney's Office wrote in
that for the Fatico hearing
next week, they have one live
witness, Edward Rodriguez, and
"items from social media
accounts from co-defendants." Jump cut to July
2 when a co-defendant asked to
delay sentencing based on
health conditions we do not
report on here, and that "the
landlord is selling the
building and isn't renewing
anyone's lease, so we have to
move [or] they'll start court
proceedings." The case is USA
v. Santos, et al., 1:22-cr-522
(Woods)
*** Your support means a lot. As little as $5 a month helps keep us going and grants you access to exclusive bonus material on our Patreon page. Click here to become a patron.
Feedback:
Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, NY NY 10013
Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis. Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City
Press, Inc. To request reprint or other
permission, e-contact Editorial [at]
innercitypress.com |
After Global Fake Pharma Fentanyl Scheme on Lopez Reyes the US Asks for 262 Months
| After Global
Fake Pharma Fentanyl Scheme on
Lopez Reyes the US Asks for
262 Months
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack SDNY
COURTHOUSE,
July 1 รข€“ A global counterfeit
deadly pharmaceuticals ring
was indicted on September 30
and US Attorney for the
Southern District of New York
Damian Williams held a press
conference.
Inner City Press, which
closely covers SDNY and it
Magistrates Court, went and
asked a related case of one of
the cited pill mills in The
Bronx, two of the four
defendants in which were
allowed to plead guilty on
September 24. That case is US
v. Espinal, et al., 23-cr-577
(LJL) - Jump cut to July
19, 2025 when defense counsel
asked for another adjournment
of 60 days, with the US'
consent, so that the deferred
prosecution in 23-cr-619 can
be considered "by various SDNY
committees as well as by
people in Main Justice in
Washington, DC." Whether
the two escaped the "causing
death" change, and why,
remains unclear.
Later on September 30 named
co-defendant Alba Gonzalez
appeared in SDNY Mag Court.
The prosecutors asked for
detention but the defense said
she is named only as receiving
an email. The judge ordered
release on $300,000 bond with
conditions; the AUSA did not
ask for a stay to appeal to
District Judge John P. Cronan.
On October
2 the US Attorney's Office
wrote to four judges to
consolidate their cases,
noting - but not explaining -
why the two were allowed to
plead just before the
superseding indictment. Also
specified was that Christian
Rosado Garcia "who fled the US
immediately prior to an
expected guilty plea in
24-cr-13 (LGS). Inner City
Press will continue to cover
the case(s). On October 8
Judge Cronan held a
proceeding, and Inner City
Press covered it, thread. On October 31,
Inner City Press was the only
media in the SDNY Magistrates
Court when lead defendant
Francisco Alberto Lopez Reyes
was presented and detained,
already in the yellow prison
jumpsuit of Essex County (NJ)
DOC. He was assigned the CJA
lawyer on duty, and a
conference set. On March 24, 2025
on co-defendant Vargas-Paulino
the US asked for 60 months on
March 31. On March 31,
Inner City Press went. Defense
counsel noted his client
played baseball in the
Dominican Republic, and was
delivering food on an e-bike
in New York. He moved into the
Beaumont Avenue apartment to
save money, and made a few
deliveries. Judge Liman noted
that he stayed, and didn't
leave, and sentenced him to 42
months. Minus the 18 already
served, it's two more years... On December 12,
2025, the US Attorney's Office
wrote in that if Luis Paulino
pleads guilty on December 16,
they want him to be remanded
to jail under 18 USC
3143(a)(2). On January 5, he
was ordered remanded. On
January 6 co-defendant Alba
Gonzalez wrote in with a
heavily redacted argument that
it should be different for
her, saying she has signed a
plea agreement. Then on
January 9 she argued that
evidence against her should be
suppressed. On March 13 for
the upcoming of three
co-defendants the US
Attorney's Office wrote in
urging the admission of
Victim-1's message before the
pill made her sick and killed
her, such as "went to the gym"
as well as photos of her dead
body. The DOJ memo has
redactions. On March 27 the
defendants responded that the
"went to Planet Fitness" note
of Victim-1 is hearsay. On April 8, for
the April 20 trial, Judge
Cronan ordered co-defendant
Juan Moises Perez Mendez to
have shirts, sweaters, pants,
belt, shoes and socks - but no
suit jacket, perhaps not
requested. And the others? On April 29,
after a Spanish language
interpreter was accepted as an
expert, talk once the jury
left turned to an upcoming
cooperator witness and whether
government witnesses who have
already testified can come in
and watch. Only if they won't
be recalled, it seemed. On May 12 a law
enforcement witness described
three hours of surveillance
and then seizure of 36,000
pills, by 3764 Bronx
Boulevard. Defense counsel
asked about how the raid was
planned. On May 14 the US
Attorney's Office wrote in
seeking reconsideration to
admit in evidence the part of
Holly Holderbaum's text
message that said "texting
difficult on pain meds" -
counterfeit Oxycodone M30
pills. On May 26, Inner
City Press covered the closing
arguments. On May 28, with
still nothing else in the
docket, counsel to
co-defendant Feliz who pled
guilty wrote in asking for the
mandatory minimum ten years. On June 1 " LOPEZ
REYES was convicted of being a
principal administrator of a
continuing criminal
enterprise, conspiracy to
distribute narcotics resulting
in death, narcotics
distribution, and conspiracy
to commit money
laundering. EUSTATE
JIMENEZ was convicted of
conspiracy to distribute
narcotics resulting in death
and narcotics distribution." On June 18,
Eustate Espinal who pled
guilty was sentenced to 600
months - 50 years - in prison. On July 1 the US
Attorney's Office asked for
262 month on co-defendant
Lopez Reyes in a 46 page
sentencing memo which, due to
the comparisons of culpability
in it, seems bound to be used
in other sentencings. More / extra on
Substack here It is (now) USA v. Paulino, et al., 1:23-cr-501 (Cronan)
*** Your
support means a lot. As little as $5 a month
helps keep us going and grants you access to
exclusive bonus material on our Patreon
page. Click
here to become a patron.
Feedback:
Editorial [at] innercitypress.com Mail: Box 130222, Chinatown Station,
NY NY 10013 Reporter's mobile (and weekends): 718-716-3540 Other, earlier Inner City Press are listed here, and some are available in the ProQuest service, and now on Lexis-Nexis. Copyright 2006-2026 Inner City
Press, Inc. To request reprint or other
permission, e-contact Editorial [at]
innercitypress.com |