A.G. Schneiderman Announces 55 Guilty Pleas Following Operation Gravy Train In St. Lawrence County

Written by Long Island News & PR | 15. September 2017

New York, NY - September 15, 2017 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced 55 guilty pleas resulting from Operation Gravy Train, which busted two major drug distribution networks that transported heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine to St. Lawrence County. Operation Gravy Train was spearheaded by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force through the office’s Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (“S.U.R.G.E.”) Initiative—a crackdown on New York’s growing heroin, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks, part of a multi-faceted approach to tackling the drug epidemic.

Between Thursday September 14 and Friday September 15 alone, over 10 Gravy Train defendants pleaded guilty in front of the Honorable Jerome Richards in St. Lawrence County Court.

“Our SURGE Initiative is a key part of our multipronged approach to tackling the opioid epidemic in the communities that have been hit hardest – stopping the supply of drugs before they make their way onto our streets,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “By working in close partnership with local enforcement, we have been able to take hundreds of dangerous traffickers off the streets. We’re committed to bringing our state’s most effective law enforcement resources to bear in the fight against this growing epidemic.”

The sentencing details of the defendants are:

Rasue Barnett: Will be sentenced on October 19 to 3-1/2 years in prison
Michael Berry: Will be sentenced on November 2 to 8 years in prison and 5 years post-release supervision
Francis Burdick: Will be sentenced on November 3 to 5 years in prison and 5 years post-release supervision
Raul Byrd: Sentenced on September 14 to 4 years in prison and 3 years post-release supervision
Dandre Gatson: Will be sentenced on January 11, 2018 to 4 to 8 years in prison
Jason Henriques: Will be sentenced on November 3 to 1-1/2 to 3 years to run consecutive with an additional 1-1/2 to 3 years.
Jared Johnston: Will be sentenced on November 30 to 1 to 3 years in prison
Christopher Kocienski: Will be sentenced on October 20 to 5 years in prison and 2 years post-release supervision
Christopher Larose: Will be sentenced on November 30 to 4 years in prison and 2 years post-release supervision
Kevin Lockenwitz: Will be sentenced on December 1 to 3 years in prison and 3 years post-release supervision
Gary Lee Loffler: Will be sentenced on November 30 to 5 years in prison and 3 years post-release supervision
Jose Marte: Will be sentenced on December 1 to 6 years in prison and 3 years post-release supervision
Jonathan Martinez-Caballero: Will be sentenced on December 1 to 6 years in prison and 3 years post-release supervision
Matthew McGrath: Will be sentenced on December 1 to 3-1/2 years in prison and 2 years post-release supervision
Travis O’Neill: Will be sentenced on November 2 to 8 years in prison and 5 years post-release supervision
Allen Oshier: Will be sentenced on November 3 to 3 years in prison and 3 years post-release supervision
Darren St. Germain: Sentenced on September 15 to 1-1/2 years in prison and 2 years post-release supervision
Joshua Seidel: Sentenced on September 7 to 1-1/2 years in prison and 1 year post-release supervision
Lydell Washington: Will be sentenced on November 30 to 2-4 years in prison
Justin Whitmarsh: Sentenced on September 7 to 3 years in prison and 3 years post-release supervision
Jessie Young: Sentenced on September 7 to 3 years in prison and 3 years post-release supervision
Heather Amarel: Will be sentenced on November 30 to 6 months-1 year in jail
Sarah Ashley: Will be sentenced on December 1 to 1 year in prison and 1 year post-release supervision
Jennifer Kerr: Will be sentenced on November 2 to a 5 years’ probation
Robert Kerwin: Will be sentenced on November 2 to 5 years’ probation
Caisey Jo Lamotte: Will be sentenced on November 3 to 1 year in jail
Bobbie Jo LaRock: Sentenced on September 15 to 5 years’ probation
Jennifer Larue: Will be sentenced on December 1 to 5 years’ probation
Kimberly Larue: Will be sentenced on August 31, 2018 to 5 years’ probation
Tyler McGregor: Sentenced on September 14 to 5 years’ probation
Mariano Patterson: Sentenced on September 15 to 2 years in prison and 2 years post-release supervision
Shane Perkins: Will be sentenced on November 30 5 years’ probation
Alyssia Petrie: Will be sentenced on November 2 to probation
Dale Pryce: Will be sentenced on November 2 to 6 months in jail and 5 years post-release supervision
Francine Sokolowski: Will be sentenced on October 20 to probation
Casey Jo West: Will be sentenced on November 30 to probation
Mark Willard: Will be sentenced on November 3 to 5 years’ probation
Robert Baker: Will be sentenced on November 2 to 5 years’ probation
Adam Baxter: Sentenced on September 14 to 5 years’ probation
Chase Baxter: Will be sentenced on October 19 to 5 years’ probation
Olivia Bender: Judge will be determine sentencing on November
Amy Bennett: Will be sentenced on October 19 to 5 years’ probation
Jamie Bonanno: Will be sentenced on October 19 to 5 years’ probation
Brandon Bylow: Sentenced on September 15 to 4 months in jail and 5 years’ probation
Kayla Fletcher: Sentenced on September 7 to 5 years’ probation
Jamie Gaines: Will be sentenced on November 3 to 6 months in jail and 5 years’ post-release supervision
Samantha Griffin: Will be sentenced on January 11, 2018 to 1 year in prison and 1 year post-release supervision
Sharon Gushlaw: Sentenced to be determined on November 30
Gregory James: Will be sentenced on November 30 to probation
Mark Green: Sentenced on September 7 to 5 years’ probation
Charles Ayotte: Judge will determine sentencing on November 30
Barry Crayford: Will be sentenced on December 7 to 8 years in prison and 3 years post-release supervision
Jose Marcano: Will be sentenced on December 1 to 5 years’ probation
Ciera Smith: Will be sentenced on October 19 to 6 months in jail and 5 years’ probation
Katie Davison: Judge will determine sentencing on December 1

The Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) has now taken down 25 large drug trafficking gangs, made more than 580 felony narcotics arrests, and seized more than $1.5 million and more than 2,000 pounds of illegal drugs since 2011.

Since 2010, Attorney General Schneiderman has launched a multi-pronged strategy to tackle New York's constantly evolving heroin and opioid epidemic, including settlements with health insurers to remove barriers to treatment and enforce Mental Health Parity Laws; the I-STOP system, which has successfully reduced “doctor shopping” by 90%; the Community Overdose Prevention program, equipping law enforcement with naloxone; and more.

The investigation was conducted by St. Lawrence County Detective Arthur Shattuck and OCTF Special Investigator Paul Pendergast, under the supervision of Supervising Investigator Thomas M. Wolf and Deputy Chief Eugene Black.

The case is being prosecuted by OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorney General and Senior Investigative Counsel James J. Mindell, under the supervision of OCTF Deputy Attorney General Peri Alyse Kadanoff.