The drug ring operated out of Ravenswood Houses. (Google Maps)
April 16, 2019 By Laura Hanrahan
Seven men have been arrested following the bust of a “drug emporium” operating out of Ravenswood Houses, authorities announced yesterday.
The arrests stem from a year-long police investigation that found that the drug crew was trafficking cocaine and heroin within Ravenswood Houses between March 2018 and April 2019. The gang made multiple sales to undercover detectives.
“The defendants charged in this case turned a housing complex filled with families and numerous children into an illicit drug emporium.” said Chief Assistant District Attorney John M. Ryan.”This kind of lawless drug distribution operation will not be tolerated in Queens County.”
In May 2018, detectives from the NYPD’s Queens North Gang Squad obtained an eavesdropping warrant and began listening in on conversations between various members of the alleged drug crew.
The ringleader of the crew, Jamarl Gilmore, 38, a resident of Ravenswood, was arrested a few months later in August 2018 and charged with the criminal sale of a controlled substance and other crimes. He now faces between 15 and 30 years in prison if convicted. The investigation continued after Gilmore’s arrest, leading to the apprehension of six other individuals.
Police raided eight locations within Queens County known to be used by the gang, including Ravenswood Houses, and found cocaine, marijuana, a scale, three firearms, high-capacity magazines, and nearly 100 rounds of ammunition. One defendant, Donte Wiggins, 38, of Queens Village, was found to have a plastic bag of cocaine in his buttocks, police said.
“These arrests have dismantled an established network of criminal offenders who were transporting and distributing significant quantities of illegal guns and drugs,” said Police Commissioner James O’Neill said.
The other individuals placed under arrest include Damien Walker, 40, Gerard Dennis, 27, Cheyenne Parsons, 27, Delton McCall, 23, and Kavon Robinson, 23. All five men are from Ravenswood. They have all been charged with the criminal sale of a controlled substance.
Wiggins and Walker were additionally charged with criminal possession of a firearm.
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22 Comments
Lived in Ravenswood for 40yrs. I witnessed the decline. And while there are still descent folks living there, many of whom are my friends, there is a bad element taking over. It’s a shame.
Families leave for a better life. We left Ravenswood 2yrs ago and I’m so happy we did, I would never ever look down at families living in NYCHA. I do miss my apartment of 40 something yrs, but no one should stay in a NYCHA apt forever.
What a waste of NYPD resources, literally the dumbest cases
Great Job by the police. The police and community must work together to rid the complex of the criminal element .
What the hell are you talking about? Doctors are constantly arrested for overprescribing prescription drugs.
You are trying to justify these criminals by focusing on other criminals. Great job deflecting and bringing race into it.
There are vulnerable children and elders living in Ravenswood housing that shouldn’t have to deal with these dangerous criminals.
“US troops bomb foreign land”?
Do you want to also discuss hungry children in 3rd world countries? Global warming?
Focus on the issue at hand!
I grew up in Ravenswood in the late ’60s and early ’70’s and it was a great place to live. It saddens and angers me to see what it’s become. Queensbridge never changed but I don’t want what I still consider my home, to turn into another Queensbridge.
If it was so great, why did you leave? White flight and housing segregation is what has lead to many of the issues that plague these neighborhoods today.
Nonsense, they flew away from crime. Wouldn’t you?
Families leave for a better life. We left Ravenswood 2yrs ago and I’m so happy we did, I would never ever look down at families living in NYCHA. I do miss my apartment of 40 something yrs, but no one should stay in a NYCHA apt forever.
Smarten up guys gentrification is real, but without you, Where are Blake and Claire gonna get drugs from.
Deblasio eased the NYCHA felony ban and the pj’s are now full of these dirtbags. They sell drugs, rob and steal while our tax dollars pay their rent, health insurance and EBT food card.
Right, there had *never* been drug dealers or criminals in public housing before BDB. You clearly don’t remember the 80s (or lived someplace else).
Thank you Captain Obvious!
Yes, crime was rampant throughout NYC in the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s. Crime starting decreasing (especially in NYCHA) in the mid 90’s up until 2015.
Dangerous convicted felons should not be allowed to live in taxpayer subsidized housing with vulnerable kids and seniors. Easing the NYCHA felony ban was a huge mistake.
first of all the violence and drug selling do not go hand and hand. the people who commit violent acts are not usually the drug dealers in ravenswood
If we had a CONSERVATIVE STATE , IT WOULD BE ALOT DIFFERENT , AND I ACTUALLY WORK AT RAVENSWOOD ….ITS STILL BETTER THEN OTHER PROJECTS ….
Deblasio will set them free next week!!!!
This is the TRUTH.
DEBLASIO BAD
They live in taxpayer subsidized housing while they sell drugs and poison our kids.
I call that the double whammy!!
Great work NYPD
There’s nothing that’s going to stop the demand for drugs thus the supply. What about the doctors that hand out pain killers because they’re being pimped out by the pharmaceutical companies? Where’s the drug bust for that? Only black/latino people who are of lower economic status will face the government police (NYPD).
If the People are free to worship a religion to be fulfilled, free to read books for ideas, what business is it to the government that they prevent you from what you digest? The US sadly has the most incarcerated people in the world and the US troops bomb foreign lands… for what? Liberty? Its only for natural resources like oil.
Nice work…grew up here…my 82 year old mom still lives here…So Thank you!