Former Basketball Star Busted For Leading Massive Brooklyn Drug Ring, Prosecutors Say

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — A former professional basketball player who ran a citywide drug ring and flooded northern Brooklyn with millions of dollars’ worth of heroin has been arrested, prosecutors announced Thursday.

Former player James “Fly” Williams, 65, and his three partners were arrested on Wednesday during a massive drug bust that netted $500,000 worth of heroin, $185,000 in cash and six firearms, Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Thursday.

Williams — who is a street basketball legend in Brownsville — now faces up to 25 years in prison for running a team of dealers that peddled heroin in Brownsville, Bushwick, Fort Greene and Flatbush for more than a year, said prosecutors.

The gang’s main distributor Richard “Cristiano” Rivera, 45, supplied drugs to Hanziel “Johnny” Martinez Cintron, 39, who packaged them and sent them to Williams' partner Jeffrey “Doobie” Britt, 34, who passed the heroin along to dealers, said prosecutors.

The drugs were distributed across the city in Pringle canisters, water bottles and Mountain Dew cans that had been fitted with secret compartments, according to prosecutors.

“Their packaging process gave them a false impression that they were distributing their product in a stealthy manner,” NYPD Deputy Chief Michael Kemper said.

Williams’ dealers — one of whom was his son James — sold about $30,000 worth of heroin per week in the streets near the Brownsville Recreation Center, where Williams was often seen mentoring high school students.

Williams — a basketball prodigy in the 1970s who played for St. Louis in the American Basketball Association in 1974— was considered a legendary street basketball player who earned the community’s respect by mentoring young plays and battling his own heroin addiction, said Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

"That someone with his stature in the community, his influence on young people, would run such a substantial narcotics operation is truly sad and reprehensible," said Gonzalez in a press conference Thursday.

Williams received his cut of the money from Britt then passed it over to Leezet “Baby Girl” Kelley, 45, his girlfriend and the drug ring's financial manager, said prosecutors.

Between January and April, investigators estimate Williams’ dealers pushed more than 2 million or packets of heroin worth about $20 million, said prosecutors.

Wednesday’s arrests were the culmination of an eight-month NYPD investigation dubbed “Flying High” that began in September 2016 after a community member tipped off authorities, prosecutors said.

Williams, Britt, Martinez and Rivera face a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison if found guilty, prosecutors said.

During the bust, police also arrested accused local distributors LaToya Mark, 37, and Michael “Mike Mike” Rosoboro , 55, along with several people they said were dealers, including Marlon “M” Campbell, 58, Maurice “MoJo” McGhee, 49, Charles “Light” Moore, 57, Charles “Rav” Morgan, 61, Tyrone “Mo” Munford, and William’s son James Williams, 36.

More arrests are expected to follow, prosecutors said.