​9 Arrested In Sting Targeting Drug Trafficking Organization: DOJ

ULSTER COUNTY, NY — More than seven federal state and local law enforcement agencies were involved in dismantling what officials are calling a "significant" drug trafficking operation.

Nine defendants have been indicted and arrested for their roles in a drug trafficking organization that distributed large amounts of cocaine and fentanyl throughout Ulster County and Westchester.

The announcement was made on Wednesday by U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Ivan J. Arvelo, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), NY; and Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, whose office leads the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT).

"With today’s arrests we have dismantled an organization that brought large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl into the Hudson Valley," Freedman said. "This case is the result of the close collaboration among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that produces successful and significant drug trafficking prosecutions in Ulster County."

The organization allegedly distributed kilogram quantities of cocaine and fentanyl between March 2021 and January 2023, in Kingston, Ellenville and other areas of Ulster County. After executing search warrants on multiple addresses in Ellenville, White Plains, the Bronx and Manhattan, law enforcement seized around 4 kilograms of fentanyl, 500 grams of cocaine, $600,000 in drug proceeds, and five firearms.

"These 9 individuals are accused of drug-related crimes, all of which were allegedly part of their unlawful pursuit of money and power," Arvelo said. "But that ends today. HSI New York is proud to have partnered with the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office and New York State Police. Our shared commitment toward accomplishing our ultimate goal — justice — knows no bounds."

The nine defendants were arrested, and all of them have been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, with the following minimum and maximum terms of imprisonment upon conviction:

• Christopher Baez, aka "Butta," 45, Manhattan, 10 years - Life
• Joseph Logan, aka "Jazz" aka "Jabb,” 32, Ellenville, 5 years - 40 years
• Joshua Morales, aka "Young," 34, Ellenville, 5 years - 40 years
• Joshua Atkinson, aka "Swaggs," 26, Ellenville, 10 years - Life (also charged with distribution of cocaine and fentanyl)
• Luis Santiago, aka "Banks," 35, Ellenville, 10 years - Life (also charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl)
• Frankie Maldonado Jr., 36, Ellenville, 5 years - 40 years
• Justin Torres, 35, Ellenville, 5 years - 40 years
• Erkan Deniz, aka "E" aka "Ed," 38, Ellenville, 5 years - 40 years (also charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine)
• Daryl Livingston, aka "Whiz," 35, Huguenot, None - 20 years

"Today’s operation is the culmination of hard work and collaboration between the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the Ulster County Sheriff's Office, New York State Police, Ulster County District Attorney's Office and our Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Task Force," Figueroa said. "Today we dismantled a drug trafficking organization that would have continued to distribute fentanyl in New York City, Westchester County and the Hudson Valley that could have killed people. The crimes associated with this organization and the negative impact they had on our communities cannot be understated. Great job to all of the agencies involved."

This case is being investigated by HIS; the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office in collaboration with URGENT (the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement and Narcotics Team), an inter-agency taskforce targeting drug dealers and gang members in Ulster County; the NYS Police; the Village of Ellenville PD; and the White Plains PD, with assistance from the Ulster County DA’s Office.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.