'Operation Elm Sweep' Nabs 14 In Huge Nodine Hill Drugs, Gang Sting

YONKERS, NY — Police have announced the arrest of 14 dealers in a massive Nodine Hill drug sweep.

Today, Mayor Mike Spano, Commissioner Chris Sapienza and Westchester County Department of Public Safety Acting Commissioner Terrance Raynor announced a series of arrests which took place last week throughout the City of Yonkers, targeting street-level drug dealers, including members of several local street gangs. Today's announcement was the result of an intensive six-month-long investigation known as "Operation Elm Sweep."

The collaborative law enforcement effort between the Yonkers Police Department, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety and the Violent Criminal Enterprise Bureau of the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office focused on a notorious section of Yonkers that has been the scene of a slew of recent high-profile shootings.

Members of the Yonkers Police Department began executing arrests last Tuesday, targeting fourteen offenders who were the subject of this investigation. The majority of the arrests took place on the west side of the city.

Police say those arrested operated in and around the Nodine Hill area, specifically the Elm Street corridor, and were engaged in illegal narcotics sales, including crack-cocaine. Undercover officers were used to gather evidence, according to officials.

"I commend the members of the Yonkers Police Department, Westchester County Police and Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for their great work during this complex and dangerous investigation," Westchester County Department of Public Safety Acting Commissioner Terrance Raynor said. "The collaboration and partnership among these agencies has helped restore safety and security to the neighborhood where this drug trafficking and related violence was occurring. I would particularly like to acknowledge the undercover officers assigned to this investigation. Because of the nature of their work, they cannot be here to be acknowledged in person, but investigations like this one are not possible without their courage, dedication and skill.”

A number of those arrested have extensive criminal histories and many have been present or connected to group violence and violent incidents in the area, including murders, attempted murders, stabbings and felony assaults, according to Yonkers police. Two of those arrested were present in the bodega deli where a Yonkers Police Department detective was recently shot, according to investigators. Those with ties to the April 2021 shooting of a 6-year-old child on Ash Street and the June 2021 drive-by shooting on Elm and Oak Streets, where five people were shot, were also taken into custody during the sweep.

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All told, police officials said the fourteen defendants have a criminal record representing over 100 arrests, more than half of which are felonies, with over 50 convictions. Collectively they have over 20 open cases and 5 illegally possessed firearm arrests.

"Our Nodine Hill residents deserve the safety, security, and high standards of quality-of-life that is expected of a first-class city like Yonkers, and our police department is committed to providing and safeguarding those values," Commissioner Chris Sapienza said, revealing details of the operation. "By removing these bad actors from our community, we are putting an end to the violence that accompanies them. I applaud the efforts of our Yonkers Police Narcotics Unit for spearheading this investigation and would like to thank our partners in the Westchester County Police Department and Westchester DA’s Office for their invaluable assistance."

Sapienza explained that illegal narcotics sales and group violence are directly interconnected in Yonkers. Operation Elm Sweep was intended to interrupt the violence by targeting the drug dealers and removing them from the communities. Yonkers police secured indictments against the thirteen adult defendants for felony criminal sale of a controlled substance. A minor, whose identity was not released, will be adjudicated in the Youth Part of Criminal Court.

“Thank you to the men and women of the Yonkers Police Department for their unwavering commitment to protecting the quality of life for all in our neighborhoods," Mayor Mike Spano said. "This joint operation should send a clear message to those seeking to commit crimes of any kind in our city – we will find you and ensure you are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The vast majority of people in Yonkers are good, honest, hardworking individuals who want no part in the senseless violence these men seek to cause in our communities, and it will not be tolerated.”

The defendants are identified by YPD as:

• BAILEY, Dyquan (25) Yonkers, NY
• BLAIR, Tony (47) Yonkers, NY
• BROWN, Nasir (24) Mt, Vernon NY
• BRYANT, Dejaequan (28) Yonkers, NY
• UNDISCLOSED, Sealed (29) Yonkers, NY
• HAMILTON, Shakeem (28) Yonkers, NY
• PATTERSON, Shawn (34) Yonkers, NY
• UNDISCLOSED, Sealed (36) Mt Vernon, NY
• UNDISCLOSED, Sealed (25) Yonkers, NY
• UNDISCLOSED, Youth (17) Yonkers, NY
• VEGA-SALAZAR, Frankie (28) Yonkers, NY
• WATTS, Jaher (21) Yonkers, NY
• WHITNEY, Durell (36) Yonkers, NY
• YNGUANZO, Joseph (33) Yonkers, NY

As of today, twelve defendants have been apprehended and two remain outstanding. The investigation is ongoing and police said they anticipate additional arrests in the near future.