AG announces guilty pleas in capital region drug trafficking case

All 25 suspects charged in one drug trafficking that distributed heroin, fentanyl and cocaine in the entire Capital Region have pleaded guilty, the Public Prosecution Service announced on Tuesday.

The suspects were charged in November 2023 and police seized more than three kilos of cocaine and approximately 40 grams of heroin laced with fentanyl. The combined street value is approximately $350,000.

One of the figures in the operation was Efrain Acevado, who sold drugs from his Troy restaurant called “El Coqui” and stored narcotics and proceeds from the operation.

Alexander Torres and Yamillet Galarza were key figures in the ring and worked together to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine in Rensselaer County, according to prosecutors. Torres had four different sources for the cocaine and narcotics. He bought heroin laced with fentanyl from a Bronx dealer who supplied custom-designed bags with the phrase “American Gangster” stamped on them.

Acevedo has pleaded guilty and faces up to 14 years in prison.

The first suspect was convicted on Tuesday. Elvis Colon, a Rensselaer County heroin and fentanyl trafficker who received 12.5 to 15 years in prison.

The following suspects have also pleaded guilty:

• Raul Baez, Schenectady
• Erick Baez, Schenectady
• Jose Cintron, Troy
• Javier Colon, Philadelphia
• Mercedes Danahy, Troy
• James Foley, Troy
• Jack Frazier, Troy
• José Galarza, Troy
• Yamillet Galarza, Troy
• Vladimir Guzman Grullon, Bronx
• David Harden, Troy
• Mark House, Troy
• Karim Klein, Troy,
• Jordan McCullen, Troy
• Jahtiek Milisci, Troy,
• Beau Moreau, Schenectady
• Michael Nelson, Troy
• Tracy Taylor, Troy
• Denzel Timot, Troy
• Alexander Torres, Troy
• Israel Vasquez, Troy
• Abner Velasquez, Holyoke, Mass
• David Venson, Troy

Rensselaer County District Attorney Mary Pat Donnelly and the Schenectady County Drug Task Force assisted in the investigation.

“We are committed to ending the opioid crisis in our state, and that means tackling this problem from every angle, including stopping dangerous drug traffickers from bringing fentanyl into our communities,” Attorney General James said in a statement. “This drug trafficking ring operated a widespread network to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of narcotics, and now they are being brought to justice. I thank all of our partners in this investigation for their hard work to protect our communities and keep New Yorkers safe.”