Inwood Gang Bust: Accused 'Drug Kingpin' Brothers Still Without Bail

INWOOD, NY — Nearly one month after an NYPD crackdown led to the arrests of dozens of suspected drug dealers in Inwood, five accused gang members — including the two brothers charged as the gang's kingpins — are still being held without bail, according to court records. For Inwood news — including follow up stories on the gang takedown — click here to subscribe to our daily newsletter and free, real-time news alerts.

Twenty-five of the 32 indicted gang members have been arrested and have appeared in court since the Jan. 4 crackdown of the street gang — which allegedly turned the stretch of Vermilyea Avenue between West 204th and West 207th streets into an open-air drug market. Of those 25, only Jose Luperon, Omar Luperon, Rafael Solano, Melvin Tineo and William Velez have not been assigned bail, according to court records. The Luperon brothers are due in court for their next appearance on Friday, and the three other men are due in court on Monday, Feb. 6.

All 32 defendants are facing various charges related to sales of crack cocaine in building lobbies and gated entrances of residential buildings on Vermilyea Avenue, according to an indictment from the Manhattan District Attorney.

The trafficking ring is believed to have operated from Aug. 29, 2015, to Dec. 26, 2016. Its alleged members are worked in shifts to sell drugs 24 hours per day on Vermilyea Avenue, the DA said — during which time they made more than 100 crack cocaine sales, including more than two dozen sales to undercover NYPD detectives.

"As charged in the indictment, this highly structured trafficking ring operated out of just a few buildings on one Inwood block. Now, thanks to the NYPD and my Office’s prosecutors, these residents will no longer have to sidestep drug deals in order to reach their homes, schools and places of worship," Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance said in a statement.

Police and prosecutors singled out the two Luperon brothers — 44-year-old Jose and 42-year-old Omar — who they say served as the gang's ringleaders. The brothers have been charged with "operating as a major trafficker" — also known as the "drug kingpin" statute, according to the DA. Juan Flores, 35, Steve Rojas, 34, and Xavier Vargas, 29, were identified as lower-level managers that oversaw the street-level sale of drugs. Of the three lower-level managers only Vargas is listed by court records as having been arrested and is currently being held on bail.

Here's a full list of the 32 accused gangsters and what they have been charged with:

1. Jose Luperon: 1 count operating as a major trafficker, 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 8 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
2. Omar Luperon: 1 count operating as a major trafficker, 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 2 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
3. Juan Flores: 1 count second-degree conspiracy.
4. Tyreak Anderson: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 2 counts second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, 2 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
5. Eddie Ocasio: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 2 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
6. Steve Rojas: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 56 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
7. Xavier Vargas: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 25 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
8. Alfred Arias: 1 count second-degree conspiracy.
9. Ramon Almonte: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 45 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
10. Jesse Collado: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 50 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
11. Francisco Medina: 1 count second-degree conspiracy.
12. Miguel Tejada: 1 count second-degree conspiracy.
13. Arismendy Santana: 1 count second-degree conspiracy.
14. Robinson Collado: 1 count second-degree conspiracy.
15. Julio Velazquez: 1 count second-degree conspiracy.
16. Edward Adames: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 3 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
17. Alan Burgos: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 7 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
18. Merlin Chama: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 11 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
19. Jessie Contreras 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 3 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
20. Brian Espinal 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 15 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
21. Miguel Garcia: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 11 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
22. Cristian Guzman: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 3 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
23. Jahaciel Hernandez: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 9 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
24. Christopher Morato: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 7 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
25. Elias Riva: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 16 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
26. Radhames Rojas: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 36 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
27. Edward Sanchez: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 24 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
28. Rafael Solano: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 10 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
29. Matthew Tineo: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 12 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
30. Melvin Tineo: 1 count second-degree conspiracy, 8 counts third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance.
31. William Velez: 1 count second-degree conspiracy.
32. Alejandro Bautista: 1 count second-degree conspiracy.

Read the full indictment from the Manhattan District Attorney's office here:

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