Thursday indictments related to a higher drug operation News, sports, jobs

Five residents of the city are experiencing federal drug conspiracy accusations carrying at least 10 years in prison – but that alleged operation has connections with another long -term case involving drug trafficking between Buffalo and Jamestown. .

The indictment announced on Thursday by American lawyer Joel Louis Viollanti on Thursday late. Andres Pizzaro Campos A/K/A Kiki, 33, Max Pizzaro Campos, 34, Cindy Frank, 52, Edward Leper A/K/A Edward Barnes. 46, and Jaquez L. Thomas A/K/A Quez, 21, were accused of drug conspiracy, which bears a mandatory minimum punishment of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.

In addition, Andres and Max Pizzaro Campos are also accused of holding a firearm regarding drug trafficking and maintaining an involved drug, which performs a compulsory minimum sentence of five years in prison that works consecutively on any other sentence. Cindy Frank is also accused of obstruction of justice.

The US assistant lawyers, Joshua A. Viollati and Louis A. Testi, who deal with the case, said according to the indictment, between 2018 and May 26, 2022, Andres Campos, Max Campos, Frank, Leeper and Thomas conspired with Joseph S. Zaso and others to sell heroine and Fentanil in the Jamestown area. Andre and Max Pizarro Campos are accused of using a Hazzard Street residence and holding firearms to carry out their drug trafficking activities. In addition, on July 26, 2023, Cindy Frank falsely testified, hiding his knowledge about Joseph S. Zaso’s drug trafficking.

Zaso, also known as Joey Cracks, also known as Sosa in Buffalo, was guilty in May 2024, in front of the American district judge, Lawrence J. Vilardo, at the narcotic conspiracy, holding a firearm in drug trafficking and hiding the material. The accusations have a mandatory minimum punishment of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. He is still waiting for the conviction.

Zaso, the leader of the drug trafficking activity, was the supply source for several Jamestown drug dealers and used a series of dealers and runners to facilitate their operation. During the conspiracy, Zaso owned firearms to protect his drug supply, which he obtained substantial income and resources, according to the American prosecutor’s office. On May 26, 2022, the search warrants were executed at his bivol residence, during which the investigators confiscated the drug parafernal.

During the conspiracy, Zaso was under the supervision of the American probation in the Western District of New York, following a 2015 conviction in the Eastern District of Michigan. Zaso was forced to present monthly reports to the American probation, which included information on his employment. Zaso signed and deposited monthly reports by falsely reporting its employment. Also, Zaso has falsely hidden the income and the existence of bank accounts under his control, besides the fact that he lied about his employment. Zaso did not report its real income, because most of it was derived from drug trafficking.

Three other residents in Jamestown – Kyle Jensen, Holly Berenguer and Richard Philbrick have already been convicted with Zaso in the federal court. Jensen was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of drugs. and awaits the conviction.

The accusations in both operations are part of an operation of the working forces for the application of organized crime drugs, aimed at dismantling criminal organizations through a multi-agency approach led by the prosecutor, oriented towards information. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the leadership of the chief Timothy Jackson, the drug application administration, under the leadership of the special agent Frank A. Torentino III, the New York field division and the Sheriff’s office in Chautauqua County, under the leadership of the James Quattrone.

Three of the defendants Thursday were the subject of previous cases in the Jamestown area. Frank was accused in October 2017 of criminal possession of a weapon, the criminal possession of the third degree of a controlled substance and the criminal use of drug parafernal, after a drug attack in Jamestown. Over 29 grams of cocaine and three hand weapons were confiscated after the 2017 raid on Hedges Avenue in Jamestown.

Leeper was sentenced to one to three years in prison in 2016, after being convicted of second -degree tightening after a 2015 incident on Fulton Street, Jamestown. In July 2021, Leeper was accused of criminal possession of the third degree, obstruction of the second -degree government administration, three accusations of danger of a child, aggravated crime and two charges of criminal obstruction of the breath or circulation of blood after a verification of a well -being. It is assumed that Leeper has tried to prevent officers from investigating an internal incident. When the officers searched the residence, they were supposed to find that they were in a bedroom cabinet with ammunition. Leeper is a kind of convicted and is not allowed to hold weapons.

Thomas was Charged with Second- and Third-Degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon and Second-Degree Obtructing Goverment Administration Following A Drug Raid On Allen Street in July 2022. Thomas Allegedly Ran from Police when the Entered the Home, But He He Was Cause Away, then, he was charged about Month Later With Third-Degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, SEVENTH-DEGREE Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, using drug parafernal and crime holding a fourth grade of a weapon after a drug raid on Stowa Street, Stow Jamestown, in August 2022.