SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — New York State Attorney General Letitia James announced the arrests of 78 people charged with a total of 355 crimes, accused of contributing to two major drug distribution networks based in Central New York.

The 78 people were arrested in different locations across Central New York Wednesday morning and brought to the Public Safety Building in Downtown Syracuse to appear before a judge one-by-one.

The two-year multi-agency investigation, named “Operation Raw Materials,” led to the seizure of the following:

  • 32 kilograms of cocaine
  • 117 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl 
  • Over $490,000
  • 15 firearms including 9 “ghost guns”
  • The seizures are estimated to have a street value of over $2 million. 

“Cracking down on illegal drug trafficking has been a priority for our office since day one. As Syracuse continues to experience record high levels of violence, today, we make good on our commitment to protecting our communities by taking these dangerous drugs and guns off our streets. We will ensure that those responsible for endangering our communities are held accountable, I thank our law enforcement partners for their support in seeing this through.”

New york Attroney General Letitia James

This takedown was the result of an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force, and the Oneida/Madison County Drug Task Force. 

The investigation involved covert physical surveillance, thousands of hours of electronic surveillance, and multiple search warrants. 

The following people were charged for their roles in the drug distribution network:

  • Christian Colon Acevedo, 30 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Kendell Baxtrom, 30 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Tony Booker, a.k.a Tony Adair, 46 years old, Florida 
  • Donald Bort, 51 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Deron Brown, 28 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Xavier Calcano, 37 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Joshua Chaplin, 31 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Vincent Czyz, 23 years old, Oswego County 
  • John Decker, 52 years old, Chemung County 
  • Justin Deportage, 32 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Samuel Defrancesco, 33 years old, Madison County 
  • Victor Delavega, 41 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Constance Lee Earl, 57 years old, Onondaga County 
  • David Fermin, 49 years old, Westchester County 
  • Miguel Rodriquez Figueroa, 44 years old  
  • Hector Flores, A/K/A “PITO”, 41 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Brian Fore, 36 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Brent Fox, 28 years old, Cortland County 
  • Nicholas Gebo, 33 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Zachary Graff, 29 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Sean Grimm, 47 years old, Oswego County 
  • Carlos Guzman, 30 years old, Monroe County 
  • Robert Hammond, 62 years old, Bronx County 
  • Chancy Hinds, 30 years old, Madison County 
  • Eduardo Huertas, JR., 30 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Clinton Jackson, 37 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Felix Jaquez, 59 years old  
  • Shayla Jones, 25 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Kyle Kull, 29 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Kode Leach, 28 years old, Oswego County 
  • Joseph Liepke, 38 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Jesus Manuel Ruiz Lopez, 34 years old, Florida 
  • Robert Miguel Lopez, 38 years old, Florida 
  • Joseph Losito, 31 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Joseph Maggio, 62 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Antonio Mantaro, 31 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Joshua Marsh, 36 years old, Oswego County 
  • Ezequiel Martinez, 27 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Josue Martinez, 29 years old, Onondaga County 
  • William McGuirk, 37 years old, Oswego County 
  • Luis Morales, 37 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Melissa Morales, 37 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Joseph Nolan, 46 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Thomas O’Connor, 45 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Melissa Ortiz, A/K/A “INDIA”, 53 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Devin Palerino, 25 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Dominick Pascarella, 42 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Stephen Poticher, A/K/A STEPHEN POTICHER, JR., 49 years old, Oswego County 
  • Gregory Procopio, 33 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Michael Pupello, 33 years old, Madison County 
  • Jeremy Quinones, 38 years old 
  • Brian Reardon, 46 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Brandon Reinhardt, 29 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Christopher Renslow, 42 years old, Madison County 
  • Alex Rivera, 36 years old, Onondaga County 
  • James Ruston, 45 years old, Onondaga County 
  • William Salay, 52 years old, Madison County 
  • Marc Sams, 49 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Samuel Martinez Lopez Santos, 29 years old 
  • John Sauve, 59 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Randy Sayler, 43 years old, Oswego County 
  • Kyle Schultz, 31 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Saadiq Sessoms, 24 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Toni Smith, 27 years old, Madison County 
  • Willard Stormes, 26 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Joseph Tilden, 33 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Greg Tomkos, 31 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Alesandra Trajkovska, 24 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Scott Tynon, 60 years old 
  • Michael Elias Ventura Montano, 28 years old,  
  • Konstantinos Voultsios, 29 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Amber Watkins, 25 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Kyle Weaver, 24 years old, Oswego County 
  • Frank Wright, 42 years old, Onondaga County 
  • Peter Wysocki, 27 years old, Oswego County