The final of 47 individuals charged and convicted in a complete of 177 crimes for his or her alleged roles as a part of two main drug trafficking networks within the Finger Lakes area has been sentenced, in response to New York Legal professional Normal Letitia James.
Michael Danzey, a Sodus man described by the Legal professional Normal’s Workplace as among the many leaders of the trafficking operations, was sentenced Sept. 19 in Wayne County Courtroom to 25 years in jail and 5 years of post-release supervision on drug and assault prices, James stated in a press release Sept. 22.
The convictions had been the results of a joint investigation between Workplace of the Legal professional Normal’s Organized Crime Activity Pressure and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Workplace.
“Lethal opioids offered by refined drug trafficking networks are tearing communities aside all through our state,” James said. “This investigation efficiently took down main drug trafficking networks and eliminated thousands and thousands of {dollars} of fentanyl and cocaine from our streets. Along with our regulation enforcement companions, my workplace efficiently prosecuted the handfuls of people who made up these harmful trafficking operations.”
The drug trafficking networks operated in Wayne, Monroe, Cayuga, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, and Yates counties, in response to James’ announcement.
An investigation led by the Workplace of the Legal professional Normal’s Organized Crime Activity Pressure in June 2023 charged the defendants with 177 crimes and seized greater than 10 kilograms of fentanyl and greater than 10 kilograms of cocaine, with a complete worth of greater than $9 million. Investigators additionally seized 19 firearms, together with assault weapons and ghost weapons, and greater than $440,000 in money.
Investigators alleged that Danzey and Terrance Raggs, brothers who usually partnered collectively, offered cocaine to a community of consumers all through Wayne County. In the course of the investigation, investigators stated additionally they uncovered that in June 2021, Danzey tried to homicide somebody he believed had stolen from him.
Raggs was sentenced to eight years in jail and 5 years of post-release supervision on drug and weapon prices. Different figures on this ring had been accused of promoting cocaine and oxycodone in Wayne, Ontario, and Monroe counties.
Arrests had been additionally made on Avenue D in Rochester, which investigators described as a significant trafficking hub that distributed medicine within the area.
These arrested ranged in age from 24 to 76 and included a Rochester father and his three grownup sons, considered one of whom was in a federal jail in Louisiana. In keeping with James, they operated a cocaine and fentanyl distribution operation primarily based out of Rochester.
Arrests had been made on Avenue D in Rochester and at numerous areas all through the Finger Lakes. Sentences for the 47 individuals charged with various felonies ranged from a number of years of jail time to probation.
5 years in the past, the roots of this investigation delved into the sources of illicit narcotics in Wayne County and shortly led to different areas of the Finger Lakes area, stated Wayne County Sheriff Robert Milby in a press release.
“On account of our collective work, we’ve got prevented numerous overdose deaths that we’ve got seen a lot of, and have been capable of maintain accountable those that have been accountable for harming our communities with harmful medicine and different crimes associated to the drug commerce,” Milby said.
The multi-agency investigation introduced collectively the assets of greater than a dozen state, native, and federal enforcement companies, together with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Workplace, Seneca County Sheriff’s Workplace, Canandaigua Police Division, Geneva Police Division, Newark Police Division, New York State Police, New York State Division of Corrections and Neighborhood Supervision, Wayne County Probation Division, the Better Rochester Space Narcotics Enforcement Group (“GRANET”), Rochester Police Division, Monroe County Sheriff’s Workplace, Homeland Safety Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“This takedown sends a transparent message: drug traffickers and those that gas the lethal fentanyl and cocaine commerce don’t have any place in our communities,” stated Monroe County Sheriff Todd Ok. Baxter in a press release. “The Legal professional Normal’s Workplace and all of our regulation enforcement companions are to be recommended for his or her excellent collaboration in bringing these harmful people to justice.” Collectively, we stay dedicated to dismantling violent drug networks, eradicating unlawful weapons from our streets, and defending the protection and well-being of our residents. We are going to by no means relent.”
Contains reporting by Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reporter Victoria E. Freile.
Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and different communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drinks column. Observe him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy.
This text initially appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Remaining sentencing in huge Finger Lakes drug ring: 25 years for Sodus man