Investigation Leads To Busts Of Drug, Gun Networks In Dutchess: NY AG

DUTCHESS COUNTY, NY — An 18-month investigation into illegal activities in Dutchess County led to takedowns of a gun trafficking network and a narcotics trafficking network, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced Wednesday.

The gun trafficking network sold ghost guns and assault-style rifles; the narcotics trafficking network distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing deadly amounts of fentany.

Along with 10 arrests, police recovered 31 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, roughly 5,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl with a street value of about $150,000, and about $55,000 in cash, the AG said.

As part of a 154-count indictment, four people are charged with trafficking numerous firearms, including ghost guns, assault weapons, and high-capacity magazines. In addition, a 63-count indictment charges seven people with trafficking thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl.

“The individuals arrested today operated a dangerous network that trafficked untraceable ghost guns and flooded New York communities with fentanyl,” James said. “Today’s takedowns send a clear message that we will not allow anyone to fuel the epidemics of gun violence and drug addiction with their illegal activities.”

Today’s takedowns were the result of an eighteen-month joint investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force and the New York State Police’s Special Investigations Unit — Hudson Valley and Troop K — Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team.

“I commend the New York Attorney General’s Office, the members of our New York State Police Special Investigations Unit, and our VGNET team for their extraordinary work in dismantling these firearm and drug trafficking networks,” said New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven G. James. “Their vigilance has stopped the infiltration of these guns and the flow of deadly narcotics into our communities as well as the crimes that are perpetuated by them. Each arrest, each seizure saves lives.”

The investigation began in April 2022 and centered around the activities of Muayad Qader, who the AG alleged sold firearms and drugs out of a Valero gas station in LaGrangeville where he worked, as well as his home in Poughkeepsie.

During the investigation, prosecutors alleged, the defendants and their co-conspirators frequently utilized coded and cryptic terminology in an attempt to disguise their illicit activities, such as referring to ghost guns as “ghosties,” and the counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl as “erks,” “urks,” and “percs.”

The investigation included hundreds of hours of physical and covert surveillance, court-authorized wiretapping of cellular telephones, the analysis of electronic evidence, including cellular telephonic communications, and other traditional investigative operations, the AG said.

Firearms Trafficking Network

During the course of the investigation, Qader’s primary supplier of firearms was Jason Knapp, prosecutors alleged. Knapp assembled ghost guns and supplied high-capacity magazines for Qader to sell. Qader’s other suppliers included Joseph Silverman and Louis Gonzalez, who supplied him with other firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, prosecutors said.

The investigation into the firearms trafficking network led to the recovery of:

1. 31 firearms, including 14 un-serialized AR-style ghost gun rifles, two serialized non-compliant AR-style rifles, a defaced AR-style rifle, a defaced magazine-fed shotgun, a Polymer-80 ghost gun pistol, and a defaced Glock-21 pistol.
2. An AR-style ghost gun upper receiver and an AR-style ghost gun lower receiver.
3. 19 high-capacity magazines.
4. Hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

The 154-count gun trafficking indictment, unsealed Wednesday before the Honorable Edward McLoughlin of Dutchess County Court, contains counts for various felony firearms offenses, including charges against Qader and Knapp for Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the First Degree, a class B felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, and various counts of Criminal Sale of a Firearm (class C and D felonies) and Criminal Possession of a Weapon (class C and D felonies), as well as Conspiracy to commit those crimes.

Narcotics Trafficking Network

Beginning in January 2023, investigators said, they also uncovered Qader’s drug trafficking operation, in which he sourced counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl from several individuals in Dutchess County.

The pills were dyed and stamped to resemble prescription oxycodone, but contained only fentanyl, putting users in grave danger, the AG said.

Prosecutors alleged the investigation revealed a drug trafficking network in which Curtis Holland would supply pills to Isaiah Atkins, who would then supply Qader’s primary source, Aaron Steppe. Steppe would meet Qader at the Valero station, transporting the pills in his car with his roommate, Christopher Evans, or his girlfriend, Angel Williams. Additionally, the investigation revealed that Stephen Gary supplied counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to Qader at the Valero Gas Station.

The investigation into the narcotics trafficking network led to the recovery of:

1. Approximately 5,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, with an approximate street value of $150,000.
2. Drug paraphernalia, including bags and scales, used to package and measure narcotics.
3. Approximately $55,000 in cash.

The 63-count narcotics trafficking indictment, also unsealed Wednesday in Dutchess County Court, contains counts for various felony narcotics offenses, including charges against Qader, Steppe, Atkins, and Gary for Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, a class A2 felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and various counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance (class B felonies) and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (class A2 and B felonies), as well as Conspiracy to commit those crimes.

Those charged in today’s two indictments include one Floridian and nine Hudson Valley residents:

• Muayad Qader a/k/a/ “JUNIOR”, 34 years old, Poughkeepsie
• Joseph Silverman a/k/a/ “JOEY”, 30 years old, Port St. Lucie, Florida
• Louis Gonzalez, 53 years old, LaGrangeville
• Jason Knapp, 43 years old, Verbank
• Isaiah Atkins, 27 years old, Poughkeepsie
• Christopher Evans, 34 years old, Poughkeepsie
• Stephen Gary, 39 years old, LaGrangeville
• Curtis Holland, 32 years old, Poughkeepsie
• Aaron Steppe, 29 years old, Poughkeepsie
• Angel Williams, 24 years old, Poughkeepsie

The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The multi-agency investigation brought together the resources of state and local law enforcement agencies including the Poughkeepsie Police Department.

Today’s takedown marks the latest major drug bust in OAG’s Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (SURGE) Initiative, a law enforcement effort that brings together state and local law enforcement to target New York’s heroin, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks. Since launching in 2017, SURGE has taken 942 alleged traffickers off the streets, the AG said.

James also thanked Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, and the Dutchess County Drug Task Force for their assistance throughout the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorneys General Griffin Kenyon and Joseph Barca, under the supervision of Downstate OCTF Deputy Chief Lauren Abinanti, with the assistance of OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorney General John Genovese and OCTF Legal Analyst Madeline Rosen. Nicole Keary is the Deputy Attorney General in Charge of OCTF. OCTF is a part of the Division for Criminal Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado. Both the Investigations Division and the Division for Criminal Justice are overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.