For Immediate Release - November 13, 2008

State and Springfield Police Arrest 31 in Drug Sweep

Defendants Include Alleged Gang Affiliates, Arrests Culminate Lengthy Operation

Massachusetts State Police, Springfield Police and an FBI Gang Task Force today arrested 31 Springfield residents - some of them reputed gang members - in the culmination of a months-long operation targeting street level drug leaders.

The investigation and arrests, dubbed "Operation Summer Slam," included numerous hand-to-hand street level sales of narcotics to undercover state troopers from June through October. The drugs, including crack and powder cocaine, heroin and marijuana, were sold to the undercover troopers on numerous dates, primarily in Springfield's Mason Square, North End and South End neighborhoods.

Some of the defendants have affiliations with any of five street gangs that have a presence in the Springfield area: Latin Kings, La Famiglia, Five Percenters, Los Solidos and Orchard Street Boys.

Teams of police officers fanned out into those neighborhoods beginning at 6 a.m. today with 44 arrest warrants obtained from Springfield District Court. Of the 31 people arrested, 23 of them were subjects of the arrest warrants; the remaining eight were incidental arrests of people found to be in possession of narcotics while officers were looking for their main targets. The subjects of the remaining 21 warrants are still actively being sought.

Most of the arrests were for distribution or possession with intent to distribute narcotics. Two women who were found in an apartment with a gun were charged with unlawful possession of a firearm in addition to the drug charges.

Targets of warrants who were arrested were as follows. All are Springfield residents.
1.KHALIL LABOY, 28, distribution of a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate drug laws;
2.NIGEL GOODEN, 42, distribution of a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate drug laws;
3.JOHNATTAN PEREZ, 26, distribution of Class A and Class B substances, conspiracy to violate drug laws;
4.IRIS CRUZ, 21, distribution of a Class B substance, narcotics violation near a school;
5.LUIS GALARZA, 20, distribution of a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate drug laws;
6.EDWIN RODRIGUEZ, 19, distribution of a Class B substance, possession of a Class D substance with intent to distribute;
7.MANUEL BETTANCOURT, 21, distribution of a Class D substance, possession of a Class D substance with intent to distribute;
8.JOEL CARABALLO, 19, distribution of a Class A substance, narcotics violation near a school;
9.DIANA LOPEZ, 25, distribution of a Class B substance;
10.JOSE RIOS, 22, distribution of a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate drug laws;
11.WANDA COLON, 35, distribution of a Class B substance;
12.JAMES BENNETT, 23, distribution of a Class B substance, narcotics violation near a school, conspiracy to violate drug laws;
13.DAVID CORREA, 20, distribution of a Class B substance;
14.LUZ COLON, 41, distribution of a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate drug laws;
15.JAMES KELLY, 26, distribution of a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate drug laws;
16.OSCAR CRUZ, 21, distribution of a Class A substance;
17.FERNANDO ROSA, 25, distribution of a Class B substance;
18.EDWIN NUNEZ, 31, distribution of a Class B substance;
19.JAMIE BETANCOURT, 29, distribution of Class A and B substances;
20.KEVIN MURRAY, 45, distribution of a Class B substance;
21.KEVIN PATTERSON, 22, distribution of a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate drug laws;
22.CARLOS RIVERA, 18, distribution of a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate drug laws; and
23.ALONZO WILLIAMS, 20, distribution of a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate drug laws.
Defendants who were not warrant targets but were also arrested in today's operation are as follows:
24.DAVID NATAL, 38, possession of a Class A substance with intent to distribute;
25.JOSE RIVERA-GONZALEZ, 25, distribution of a Class A substance, possession of a Class A substance with intent to distribute, narcotics violation near a school;
26.ANTHONY FLICHSIG, 46, possession of a Class A substance;
27.JULIO DIODONET, 25, distribution of a Class A substance, possession of a Class A substance with intent to distribute, narcotics violation near a school;
28.ELVIN ALVARADO, 55, distribution of a Class A substance, possession of a Class A substance with intent to distribute, narcotics violation near a school;
29.VICTOR BRISTOL, 31, distribution of a Class B substance, conspiracy to violate drug laws;
30.TAWANDA KNIGHTON, 25, possession of a Class D substance with intent to distribute, conspiracy to violate drug laws, unlawful possession of a firearm; and
31.TYKIA JENKINS, 26, possession of a Class D substance with intent to distribute, conspiracy to violate drug laws, unlawful possession of a firearm.

The defendants are expected to be arraigned tomorrow in the Springfield District Court.

Today's arrests were made by members of the Massachusetts State Police Gang Unit, Springfield Police Department Vice Squad, and a Springfield-based FBI Gang Task Force. Several other State Police units provided assistance: the Special Tactical Operations Team, the Community Action Team assigned to Troop B, the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, the Special Services Section, the Air Wing, the Canine Section, and the Governor's Auto Theft Strike Force.