DISTRICT ATTORNEY - NEW YORK COUNTY

NEWS RELEASE
July 16, 2008

Contact: Alicia Maxey Greene
212-335-9400

Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau today announced the indictment of eight people on multiple counts of felony narcotics charges stemming from an investigation, known as “Operation Snoop,” into street level crack cocaine distribution in the vicinity of the Dyckman Housing Development, located in upper Manhattan. One of the eight individuals is separately charged as a cocaine supplier to the street level drug organization. 

The Dyckman Housing Development is a seven-building complex containing 2,500 residents in 1,167 apartments. It is bounded by Nagle Avenue, Dyckman Street, West 204th Street and Tenth Avenue. This area was the focus of the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office because it has been a persistent hub of drug-related violence and crime. 
 
The indictment was the culmination of a nine-month investigation conducted by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Firearms Trafficking Unit and the NYPD Manhattan North Narcotics Major Case Squad and the 34th Precinct Detective Squad. The investigation utilized undercover detectives and surveillance techniques to infiltrate a street level drug organization run by its boss and owner, defendant LILLIAN RIVERA, who is also known as “Ills.”

The RIVERA Organization operated primarily out of an apartment building located at 3736 Tenth Avenue, a building within the Dyckman Housing Development, but also utilized apartments in the Bronx to store, process and package narcotics.  The RIVERA Organization sold drugs at the street or “retail” level making hand-to-hand sales to customers interested in narcotics for their personal use. Drug sales were consummated inside the lobby and stairwells of 3736 Tenth Avenue. Additional drug sales were completed in delivery service fashion, with buyers calling members of the drug organization and ordering drugs that were later delivered to the buyers in various locations in the vicinity of the Dyckman Housing Development.

To avoid detection by law enforcement, the RIVERA Organization made extensive use of cell phones to conduct narcotics sales. During the course of the investigation, court-authorized eavesdropping warrants were executed to intercept communications between RIVERA and the other members of her organization.  Eavesdropping warrants were also used to intercept communications by RIVERA’S separately charged cocaine supplier, JULIAN SILVA, a/k/a “Complete.” Cell phone conversations were intercepted from October 2007 until April 2008.

From August 2007 to December 2007 undercover police officers purchased narcotics from five members of the organization, LILLIAN RIVERA, WILLIAM RIVERA, MARIO BRACERO, CANDIDO GONZALEZ AND AARON GONDER.

The investigation of the RIVERA Organization culminated in a raid conducted on March 7, 2008, when police executed a search warrant at 2181 Wallace Avenue, Apartment 1L in the Bronx after LILLIAN RIVERA and BENNY GARAY had returned to the apartment after purchasing a kilogram of cocaine.  RIVERA arranged the cocaine purchase through cell phone calls with her supplier JULIAN SILVA.  The search warrant resulted in the recovery of one kilogram of cocaine, narcotics processing and packaging equipment and paraphernalia. 

Five members of the RIVERA Organization, defendants LILLIAN RIVERA, WILLIAM RIVERA, AARON GONDER, JOSEPH RAMIREZ and BENNY GARAY were all arrested inside or in the vicinity of 2181 Wallace Avenue.  Defendant MARIO BRACERO was arrested on the same date in his apartment located at 3736 Tenth Avenue, Apartment 10B.  CANDIDO GONZALEZ was apprehended on April 2, 2008 at his apartment located at 3736 Tenth Avenue, Apartment 9J.

At the time of his arrest, BENNY GARAY was a civilian employee of the NYPD.  GARAY was employed as a mechanic.  On the day of his arrest, GARAY transported LILLIAN RIVERA in his vehicle from the location of the kilogram sale in Manhattan to 2181 Wallace Avenue in the Bronx. 

RIVERA’S cocaine supplier, JULIAN SILVA, was apprehended on June 25, 2008 in Port St. Lucie, Florida.  On June 26, 2008, JULIAN SILVA waived extradition in Florida and was returned to Manhattan by NYPD detectives.  A search warrant executed on June 25, 2008 at SILVA’S Bronx apartment located at 610 Waring Avenue, Apartment 1M resulted in the seizure of a .40 caliber pistol, 9mm ammunition and drug paraphernalia.

The indictment related to the RIVERA Organization charges each of the following seven individuals with Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a class B felony, and various other felony narcotics sale and possession offenses, related to their participation in the RIVERA Organization: 

LILLIAN RIVERA, a/k/a “Ills,” MARIO BRACERO, a/k/a “Ups,” WILLIAM RIVERA, CANDIDO GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Bebo,” AARON GONDER, a/k/a “Tai,” JOSEPH RAMIREZ, a/k/a “Butter,” and BENNY GARAY.
 
LILLIAN RIVERA, MARIO BRACERO, WILLIAM RIVERA, CANDIDO GONZALEZ, AARON GONDER, JOSEPH RAMIREZ and BENNY GARAY were originally indicted in April and charged with Conspiracy in the Second Degree, a class B felony, and related narcotics charges.  Today’s indictment fully supersedes the original indictment.  Arraignments are scheduled for today.

JULIAN SILVA was arraigned yesterday and charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, a class A-I felony, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class D felony, and Criminally Using Drug Paraphernalia in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor.  On July 15, 2008, JULIAN SILVA was arraigned and entered a not guilty plea. SILVA is currently incarcerated.

The Firearms Trafficking Unit was formally created in May of 1993 to investigate and prosecute the sources of illegal firearms in New York City.   The unit targets gun traffickers, including unlicensed street sellers, and corrupt licensed dealers who provide significant numbers of firearms to street gangs, narcotics crews, and organized crime.  The RIVERA Organization and JULIAN SILVA will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Vera Varshavsky under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Dan M. Rather, Chief of the Firearms Trafficking Unit, and Assistant District Attorney Anthony Capozzolo, Deputy Chief of the Firearms Trafficking Unit.

Mr. Morgenthau would like to thank the New York City Police Department and Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly. Mr. Morgenthau also thanks Inspector Kenneth Cully, Captain James Curry, Sergeant Mark McDonald, Detective David Salvador, Detective Darrell Nathan and the undercover detectives of the Manhattan North Narcotics Major Case Squad; and Lieutenant Colin Kelly and Detective John McSherry of the 34th Precinct Detective Squad.

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