Heroin market ringleaders sentenced

Heroin market ringleaders sentenced

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BRONX, NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 5-  District Attorney Robert Johnson announced that the last three leaders of a massive drug ring that became known as La Perla organization have been sentenced in an extensive, multi-agency investigation that resulted in a 38-defendant indictment on narcotics charges. All 38 have now been convicted.

Wilson Guerrero, 42, of Tiffany Street and Franklin "Kelly" Perez, 46, of Sherman Avenue, who previously both pled guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, a Class A-1 Felony, were both sentenced by Acting Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett to 12 years behind bars and 5 years’ post-release supervision. 

Antonio "Tony" Carrasquillo, 57, of Rosedale Avenue, pled guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, a Class B Felony and was sentenced to 10 years in prison and another 2 years in post-release supervision.  

All three defendants waived their right to appeal and also executed a forfeiture waiver for the more than million-and-a-half dollars seized in the case.

As if an alarm clock had rung, twice a day, at precisely 4 a.m. and 4 p.m., the deserted streets in three Bronx locations would suddenly be as crowded as Times Square – a hand signal having summoned buyers to purchase La Perla, Tuna, Salsa and Sabroso – not expensive lingerie and lunch – but heroin to the tune of nearly $300,000 a week in profit alone.

The joint investigation by the Bronx County DA’s Detective Investigators, the NYPD and the NYPD’s Bronx D.A. Squad involved wiretaps on more than two dozen telephones, video surveillance and undercover heroin buys. Detectives recovered $1.6 million in cash, 4kg of heroin in thousands of glassine envelopes labeled “La Perla,” “Salsa,” “Tuna,” and “Sabroso,” as well as guns, vehicles and expensive jewelry.

The case against the remaining three was prosecuted by the Bronx D.A.’s Gangs/Major Case Bureau’s Senior Trial Assistant D.A. Christine Scaccia, Counsel Edward Friedenthal, and Assistant D.A. Lisa Davis.