Thanks for the input Nicky Eyes. I agree that as a family the Buffalinos or whatever you want to call D'elias crew, is gone. I was thinking more along the lines of New York families having a crew or some soldiers there controlling a book or some money on the street. Even drugs might be wide open cuz there can't be much street gang active. Maybe some outlaw MC's.
they have had bloods from new york operating in scranton.
Bloods gangs operated side-by-side
SCRANTON – The investigation into the death of a Yonkers, N.Y., native resulted in a six-month long operation involving wiretaps, undercover operations and controlled drug purchases that led to the arrest of 36 out of 42 wanted individuals tied to the Bloods gang in New York City, Acting Pennsylvania Attorney General Bill Ryan said Thursday morning.
“Operation Sunset” began Wednesday and continued Thursday in an effort to capture anyone identified as a leader down to a street-level dealer or user and included raids at the Sun Hotel in South Scranton.
Those involved were responsible for the “distribution and sale of an estimated $750,000 worth of crack cocaine, cocaine, marijuana and LSD over the past six months,” Ryan said.
The collaborative effort between the attorney general’s office, the Scranton Police Department, the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s office, and state and federal law enforcement agencies uncovered a tie between two separate Scranton organizations that were both believed to be linked to the Bloods street gang in New York City.
“Both of these organizations allegedly supplied drugs to a wide ranging group of street-level dealers and customers throughout the Scranton area,” Ryan said.
Running ‘The Business’
Bronx, N.Y., native Derrick Ward, 35, also known as “Boss,” ran one of the two side-by-side gangs. The other was operated by Junior “Horse” Jackson, 30, address unknown.
“While these two organizations may have tolerated each other, the potential for violence remained strong including suspected links to a still unsolved drug-related homicide in the city of Scranton that occurred late last year,” Ryan said.
The frozen body of 24-year-old Michael Jackson was discovered in a wooded area off of Saginaw Street. Police ruled his death a homicide as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.
“That fatal shooting in December 2010 of Michael Jackson remains under active investigation and was a key factor in the initiation of this joint investigation,” Ryan said.
Authories believe that there is a connection between Jackson’s death and the gang operation, and Ryan said “he was active” within the organizations.
“It’s kind of hard to believe that this individual’s death at the time it happened, given everything else we know, was a coincidence,” he said.
The Sun Hotel was typically referred to as “The Business,” and served as a base for both groups, along with a home in the 800 block of Capouse Avenue.
The operation was also run like a business.
Rashad Roper, 21, of Bronx, served as a sort of “human resources director,” according to Ryan, recruiting dealers and runners, arranging transportation, and resolving disputes between the two factions of the Bloods. Roper, a “lieutenant for Ward,” would stay in Scranton as briefly as 15 minutes while running round trips to New York City, the acting attorney general said.
“Gang members were scolded about keeping customers waiting, cautioned about maintaining the quality of the crack cocaine, and encouraged to market and promote new items in order to help ‘pop’ or increase sales,” Ryan added of their so called customer service efforts.
Gang members were also smart about how they conducted their business through “an investment of manpower” to move small amounts of drugs.
“They don’t want to be caught with huge amounts,” Ryan said.
That led authorities to pool available resources, including wiretaps, to build a case. Between January and May 2011, investigators monitored more than 1,100 drug-related telephone conversations that offered “an extremely detailed view of these particular drug operations.”
‘We’re not done’
Mayor Chris Doherty said the arrest of drug- and gang-related criminals will affect future crime levels and hopefully improve the quality of life in neighborhoods in South Scranton, Green Ridge and Dunmore, where many of the criminals lived, according to a press release.
“From this point on, the city is going to be extremely active in not only targeting these areas but in the establishments that are still open,” Doherty said.
“We’re not done. This is going to continue. We’re going to be pushing harder and harder to make sure we get rid of this forever.”
Scranton Police Chief Dan Duffy said many of the names and faces of those arrested are familiar to city officers. And while the immediate investigation shows ties to the Bloods, Duffy said all who participate in organized crime are being watched carefully.
“No matter what organization they affiliate themselves with - whether they call themselves Bloods, whether they call themselves Crips – in the end, they’re one big gang of criminals. That’s what it comes down to,” he said.
“This is a significant amount of people that were taken off the streets in our city, and now the associates of these people – I’m giving a stern warning… Do not come to the city of Scranton if you’re going to engage in criminal activity,” Duffy added.
As of Thursday’s 11 a.m. press conference, six suspects were still at large.
“Those six will surely be apprehended,” Duffy said.
The defendants will be prosecuted in Lackawanna County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Lawrence Cherba of the Attorney General’s Drug Strike Force Section along with Lackawanna County District Attorney Andrew Jarbola’s office.
Operation Sunset
Those arrested or sought by police as a part of “Operation Sunset” are:
GANG LEADERS
• Derrick “Boss” Ward, 35, of Murdock Ave., Bronx, N.Y.
• Junior “Horse” Jackson, 30, address unknown.
TOP ASSISTANTS
• Rashad Roper, 21, of Wilder Ave., Bronx, N.Y.
• Quincy “Q” Buckley, 31, of Herbert St., Scranton.
• Cashonn “Dread” Spencer, 32, of Cedar Ave., Scranton.
• Karim “Reem” Jones, 25, of Dereimer Ave., Bronx, N.Y. Still at large as of Thursday morning.
MID-LEVEL DEALERS
• James Mendy, 20, of Cruger Ave., Bronx, N.Y. Still at large as of Thursday morning.
• Ransford Robinson, 31, address unknown.
• Ralph “Junior” Kemper, 36, of Capouse Ave., Scranton.
• Keyur “J Cool” Adhayapak, 19, of Adams Ave., Scranton.
STREET-LEVEL DEALERS AND USERS
• James “Gonzo” Gonzalez, 48, of Ferdinand St., Scranton.
• Richard Griffin, 55, of Vine St., Scranton.
• Omar Guy, 34, of S. Everett Ave., Scranton.
• Kathryn Lachance, 50, of Bromley Ave., Scranton.
• Ricky Lloyd, 47, of Ash St., Scranton. Still at large as of Thursday morning.
• Mary Beth Lloyd, age unknown, of Ash St., Scranton.
• Paul Mancini, 61, of Drinker St., Dunmore.
• Jerome “Jerry” Marciniak, 48, of Monroe Ave., Dunmore.
• Joseph McAlister, 54, of Quincy Ave., Scranton.
• Ralph “Prince” Montalvo, 35, of Willow St., Scranton. Still at large as of Thursday morning.
• Robin Mosser, 29, of N. Pennsylvania Ave., Wilkes-Barre.
• Rita Perry, age unknown, of Pittston Ave., Scranton.
• Clarence Spady, 49, of Capouse Ave., Scranton.
• Timothy Triola, 47, address unknown.
• Dion Walker, 47, of Wyoming Ave., Scranton.
• Roland Williams-Reyes, 46, of Ash St., Scranton.
• Willard Abram, 51, of Mount Vernon Ave., Scranton.
• Michael Bishop, 37, of Olive St., Scranton. Still at large as of Thursday morning.
• Susan Castiglioni, 47, of Green Ridge St., Scranton.
• Thomas Flynn, 58, of Prescott Ave., Scranton.
• Joanne Gaetano, 47, of 4th St., Dunmore.
• James Gleaton, 52, of New St., Scranton.
• Matthew Harding, 40, of Spring St., Dunmore.
• Edward Holmes, 47, of Cedar Ave., Scranton.
• Katherine Jones, 33, of Capouse Ave., Scranton.
• Travis Mays, 50, of Jackson St., Scranton.
• Steven Munic, 44, of Chestnut St., Dunmore.
• Robert Naslanic, 46, of Wyoming Ave., Scranton.
• Richard Nelli, 50, of Chestnut St., Dunmore. Still at large as of Thursday morning.
• Lonnie Nelson, 44, of Mill St., Dunmore.
• William Propes, 33, of N. Filmore Ave., Scranton.
• Joseph Solfanelli, 65, of Linden St., Scranton.
