Oklahoma Inmate Fed Massive NYC Drug Ring, DA Says

NEW YORK — An Oklahoma federal prison inmate helped feed a massive drug ring that sold heroin and cocaine across New York City, prosecutors alleged Thursday. Noe Lopez, a convicted drug distributor locked in the Great Plains Correctional Institution, is among 17 people who have been indicted for their alleged roles in the lucrative operation, the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office said.

Most of the defendants were arraigned Wednesday on various drug, gun, money-laundering and conspiracy charges, the DA's office said. Authorities recovered more than seven kilograms of cocaine, four kilograms of heroin, seven firearms and more than 1,800 glassine envelopes of heroin during the investigation, prosecutors said.

"These defendants allegedly profited off the misery of drug addiction, particularly the growing heroin epidemic that’s taking the lives of too many young people who misuse this deadly and highly-addictive drug," Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez said in a statement.

Ezequiel Reyes, the ring's alleged Pennsylvania-based boss, supplied several other dealers with cocaine and heroin to be sold in Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and The Bronx, prosecutors said.

Reyes in turn relied on Lopez and another person in Puerto Rico who got him large shipments of drugs, according to prosecutors. Lopez — who pleaded guilty to federal drug and money-laundering charges in 2005 — used a contraband cellphone to arrange big sales to Reyes, while the Puerto Rican supplier shipped drugs to him, prosecutors said.

The ring possessed and sold more than $1 million worth of drugs over the course of the probe, which used video, physical and electronic surveillance, the DA's office said.

Fifteen of the 17 defendants were arrested Tuesday and Wednesday, prosecutors said. Twelve of them are charged with second-degree conspiracy, for which they face up to 25 years in prison, according to the DA's office.

(Lead image: Heroin and other items were recovered from the residence of one Queens man allegedly involved in a massive drug ring. Photos courtesy of the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office)