Crew That Promoted Drug Deals On Social Media Pleads Guilty

14 people plead guilty to operating a Hudson Valley heroin and oxycodone drug ring. The guilty parties mainly come from Orange and Rockland counties.

Since 2014 the group distributed more than 50,000 oxycodone tablets, in excess of $1 million, in and around Rockland County. Often selling the drugs in highly public places including the Palisades Center Mall in West Nyack, New York.

According to allegations in the indictment, the defendants were part of a sophisticated drug trafficking organization in the Hudson Valley led by Victor Esteban of Pomona. The 27-year-old also has an address in Middletown. His group distributed massive quantities of heroin and oxycodone in and around Rockland County.

Juan Agramonte, 50, from the Bronx, was the main heroin supplier. Esteban pooled money with other suspects to purchase large quantities of heroin from Agramonte.

The defendants obtained the oxycodone through deceptive means, including the use of forged and fraudulent prescriptions. Other times they would use lower-level members to go to pharmacies across New York State to fill the fraudulent prescriptions.

“These criminals trafficked over 50,000 oxycodone pills and significant amounts of heroin, and in the process destroyed countless lives. Rockland County Executive Ed Day said in a statement, “The nationwide prescription drug and heroin epidemic is fueled by organizations just like this one."

Certain defendants also celebrated their drug dealing on social media. They referred to themselves as the “TMC crew, meaning “Too Much Cash.” On one occasion, a defendant posted a message on Twitter saying, “Shout out my TMC bros we taking over the streets.” A tweet from a different defendant tweeted, “I make money without a 9-5 gimmie some feens a trap fone and I’ll be fine . . . ,” meaning that he did not need a real job to make money, but rather only some drug addicts and a phone to arrange drug deals.

On March 25, 2015, an indictment was unsealed charging 17 defendants with conspiring to distribute oxycodone and heroin. On Wednesday 14 of the defendants plead guilty in White Plains Federal Court.

Edwin Ceballos of New York City, Esteban, Andrew Flores of New City, Elom Kaledzi of New City, Christian Minaya of Garnerville, and Jimmy Rodriguez of Spring Valley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin. They face a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Miguel Cabrera of Haverstraw, Ceballos, Romello Deloatch of Spring Valley, Esteban, Ramon Morillo of New York City, Rolando Garcia of Garnerville, Wesley Jackson of Newburgh, Kaledzi, Minaya, Brandon Morillo of New York City, Rodriguez, and Brandon Thomas of Pomona pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. They face 20 years in prison.

Agramonte and Esteban both plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. This guilty plea has mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years.

The defendants will be sentenced in May.