An indictment was unsealed this morning in federal court in Brooklyn charging nine defendants with conspiring to distribute crack cocaine, and two of those defendants with illegal firearms charges.¹ The defendants were arrested late yesterday and earlier today, as law enforcement officers executed search and arrest warrants at ten locations in Brooklyn.

The initial appearances for the seven defendants arrested yesterday and today are scheduled to be held this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom at the U.S. Courthouse, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York. Two additional defendants are currently being held in New York State custody on other charges, and will be arraigned as soon as they are transferred to federal custody.

The charges were announced by Benton J. Campbell, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Mark J. Mershon, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York District Office, and Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, New York City Police Department.

As detailed in the indictment and other documents filed by the government, the charges are the result of an 18-month investigation conducted by the FBI and NYPD into a large-scale crack distribution organization based in the Marcy Houses, a New York City Housing Authority development in the Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, New York. The organization is alleged to be responsible for distributing hundreds of grams of crack cocaine per week. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted dozens of audio- and video-recorded purchases of crack cocaine. In addition, the indictment charges two of the defendants, CHEYENNE SIMONS and SHAWN PENDER, with illegal firearms possession during the drug conspiracy.

“Public housing enables low-income families to live decent lives in New York City, and drug-trafficking networks that operate in those communities jeopardize that vitally important goal,” stated United States Attorney Campbell. “The charges announced today mark the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by this office focused on eliminating narcotics trafficking and illegal firearms in at-risk neighborhoods.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Mershon stated, “The enforcement action announced today is just the latest result of an on-going partnership among the FBI, the NYPD, and the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney to rid New York’s public housing developments of the pernicious influence of drugs and guns. Freedom to be safe and secure in one’s home is a fundamental right to which residents of the Marcy Houses are as entitled as anyone. We will continue to work to make that right a reality.”

NYPD Commissioner Kelly stated, “As we approach the end of the year, New York City is reaching a new milestone in public safety, with record reductions in murder and other crime. One of the reasons for the decline has been the NYPD’s focus on narcotics trafficking and its nexus to violence. The Marcy arrests ultimately save lives. I want to commend our detectives and our federal partners in bringing this investigation to a successful close.”

If convicted of conspiring to distribute cocaine base, the defendants face minimum sentences of ten years and maximum sentences of life in prison, a life term of supervised release, and a $4,000,000 fine.

The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Todd Harrison and David Bitkower, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Brian Meagher.

The Defendants:

JOHN ARMSTRONG
Alias: “Peso”
Age: 24

MALCOLM FEASTER
Alias: “Romie”
Age: 22

STANLEY FEASTER
Alias: “Green Eyes”
Age: 25

NICHOLAS HAYES
Age: 24

TYQUAN MIDYETT
Age: 26

SHAWN PENDER
Alias: “SP”
Age: 22

BRIAN SANTANO
Age: 19

CHEYENNE SIMONS
Alias: “The President” and “Shitty”
Age: 25

TEON SIMONS
Age: 22

 

 

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¹ The charges announced today are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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