Williamsburg Man Pleads Guilty To Running Heroin Ring: Brooklyn DA

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN, BROOKLYN — Two men pleaded guilty to running a heroin ring in Williamsburg and selling the drug to people in all boroughs except the Bronx, the Brooklyn District Attorney's office said Tuesday. Josie Tavera, a 25-year-old from Williamsburg, pleaded guilty along with his 37-year-old partner Jason Collazo from Staten Island just as their trial was about to begin, the Brooklyn DA's office said.

Tavera confessed to being the ringleader of the operation and pleaded guilty to criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy in exchange for a sentence of 14 years in prison, according to the Brooklyn DA. Collazo pleaded guilty to criminal sale of a controlled substance and conspiracy in exchange for a sentence of 11 years in prison. Both men's sentencing is scheduled for March 7, the Brooklyn DA's office said.

Several people gave Tavera large amounts of heroin, and he then resold it from his Williamsburg apartment on Driggs Avenue between January and September 2015, according to the investigation. Tavera's team sold heroin in every borough except the Bronx, according to the Brooklyn DA. Twenty-three other people pleaded guilty in the same ring, where they sold heroin under the names, "Knockout," "Takeover," "Power Hour," "Killing Time," "Pure," "Gucci," and "Scorpion." Most of the heroin Collazo resold ended up on Staten Island, the Brooklyn DA's office said.

"We've seen a dramatic surge in the use of heroin here in New York and across the country over the last few years," Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement.

A study conducted by the city found that heroin overdose death rates increased by 158 percent from 2010 to 2015. It also found that heroin was involved in 59 percent of drug overdose deaths in 2015.

"The epidemic use of this highly addictive drug is destroying lives and families. Dismantling this ring and holding its leaders accountable is part of our continued commitment to fighting this scourge," Gonzalez said.

Lead photo via richiec/Wikimedia Commons/CC by 3.0