Five Alleged Drug Kingpins Charged with Operating Continuing Criminal Enterprises

BUFFALO, NY—United States Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that an indictment was returned this week charging Javier Navarro, Jose De Leon, and Eric De Leon-Navarro, Sr. with engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, also known as the "Kingpin Statute," which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life.

Navarro, De Leon, and DeLeon-Navarro, Sr. and 19 others are also charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of five kilograms or more of cocaine, which carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life, a fine of $4,000,000, or both. Javier Navarro and Jose De Leon were also charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, which carries an additional sentence of at least five years in prison and a maximum sentence of life.

The indictment charges that between January 2009 and February 2010, the defendants trafficked kilogram quantities of cocaine from source cities in Puerto Rico and New Jersey to Buffalo, New York for distribution. Javier Navarro and Jose De Leon obtained multi kilogram quantities of cocaine for redistribution in Buffalo, New York from suppliers in Puerto Rico as well as from suppliers in New Jersey.

In another case, Rodney Hill and Tyronne Pennick were also indicted this week on a charge of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise. They are also charged, along with four others, with drug conspiracy. The maximum penalty is life in prison and a $4,000,000 fine. During the course of the investigation, $7,000,000 was seized, along with 42 kilograms of cocaine.

"These indictments of five alleged kingpins this week is a significant step forward in the battle to remove not only drugs from the streets of our city but also the leaders who travel to great lengths to bring these drugs to our area" said U.S. Attorney Hochul. "Five ring leaders are no longer in business and will no longer be able to fill our streets with cocaine and other drugs that often lead to violence and can bring down city streets and neighborhoods."

The indictments are the culmination of an investigations involving special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force under the direction of James Robertson, the New York State Police under the direction of Major Matthew Renneman, the Buffalo Police Department under the direction of H. McCarthy Gipson, the Drug Enforcement Agency under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Charles Tomaszewski, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives under the direction of Resident Agent in Charge Francis Christiano. The evidence was presented to separate grand juries by Assistant United States Attorney's Joseph M. Tripi and George Burgasser who will handle the trial of this cases.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.