The drug ring operated out of Ravenswood Houses. (Google Maps)
April 16, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan
Seven men have been arrested following the bust of a “drug emporium” operating out of Ravenswood Houses, authorities announced yesterday.
The arrests stem from a year-long police investigation that found that the drug crew was trafficking cocaine and heroin within Ravenswood Houses between March 2018 and April 2019. The gang made multiple sales to undercover detectives.
“The defendants charged in this case turned a housing complex filled with families and numerous children into an illicit drug emporium.” said Chief Assistant District Attorney John M. Ryan.”This kind of lawless drug distribution operation will not be tolerated in Queens County.”
In May 2018, detectives from the NYPD’s Queens North Gang Squad obtained an eavesdropping warrant and began listening in on conversations between various members of the alleged drug crew.
The ringleader of the crew, Jamarl Gilmore, 38, a resident of Ravenswood, was arrested a few months later in August 2018 and charged with the criminal sale of a controlled substance and other crimes. He now faces between 15 and 30 years in prison if convicted. The investigation continued after Gilmore’s arrest, leading to the apprehension of six other individuals.
Police raided eight locations within Queens County known to be used by the gang, including Ravenswood Houses, and found cocaine, marijuana, a scale, three firearms, high-capacity magazines, and nearly 100 rounds of ammunition. One defendant, Donte Wiggins, 38, of Queens Village, was found to have a plastic bag of cocaine in his buttocks, police said.
“These arrests have dismantled an established network of criminal offenders who were transporting and distributing significant quantities of illegal guns and drugs,” said Police Commissioner James O’Neill said.
The other individuals placed under arrest include Damien Walker, 40, Gerard Dennis, 27, Cheyenne Parsons, 27, Delton McCall, 23, and Kavon Robinson, 23. All five men are from Ravenswood. They have all been charged with the criminal sale of a controlled substance.
Wiggins and Walker were additionally charged with criminal possession of a firearm.
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They should build a fence with machine gun towers around Ravenswood . Then everyone would sleep better