The drug ring operated out of Ravenswood Houses. (Google Maps)
Sept. 5, 2019 By Allie Griffin
A Long Island City man was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday for operating an illicit drug ring for several months near the Ravenswood Houses in Astoria.
Jamarl Gilmore, 38, operated the drug ring from March to June 2018 and sold cocaine and heroin to customers near the NYCHA housing. Undercover detectives routinely bought cocaine directly from Gilmore or from people working for him and also listened to phone calls between Gilmore and his co-defendants about the drug deals, according to the charges.
“The defendant admittedly sold drugs to the members of this community. In doing so, the defendant and his operatives unknowingly traded drugs for cash with undercover detectives, who were part of a long-term investigation,” Queens Acting District Attorney John Ryan said. “The sentence meted out today by the Court sends a strong message to other individuals who make money selling poison in our neighborhoods.”
Gilmore was arrested on Aug. 1, 2018 and in July, he pleaded guilty to second-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance in Queens criminal court. He was sentenced Thursday to eight years in prison and an additional five years’ post-release supervision.
The court cases involving other members of the drug ring are still pending, according to the Queens DA’s office.
