A Queens grand jury indicted nine men on charges of conspiracy, drug trafficking, and other related crimes following an extensive two-year investigation into a Jamaica-based narcotics crew, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
The probe was conducted by her Major Economic Crimes Bureau and the NYPD. Dubbed “Operation the Price is Right,” this probe included a series of undercover drug buys and the use of electronic surveillance. Approximately 466 grams of cocaine, 91 grams of heroin and 288 grams of deadly fentanyl were seized at several locations that were raided. Just two milligrams of fentanyl is considered to be a lethal dose.
John “Stubby” Price, 48, of Jamaica, Romeo Izquierdo, 37, of Jamaica, and Lamell Ford, 43, of Far Rockaway, were apprehended on Tuesday, Dec. 17, following the execution of court-authorized search warrants. They were arraigned the following day in Queens Supreme Court on a 48-count indictment charging them with conspiracy, criminal sale of a controlled substance and multiple weapons possession charges and reckless endangerment. Justice Stephanie Zaro ordered the three defendants to return to court on Feb. 13, 2025.
Kenny Paul, 43, of Rosedale, Leon Spears, 63, of Jamaica, and Victor Izquierdo, 31, of Jamaica, were already in custody at the time of the takedown and will be arraigned on the indictment at a later date. Three others remain at large.
“The indictment of nine individuals in this case sends a clear message: we will not relent in our efforts to dismantle drug rings and hold accountable those who peddle poison in our communities,” Katz said.
According to the charges and the investigation, the crew, under the leadership of John Price, sold crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, heroin mixed with fentanyl and fentanyl at various locations throughout Jamaica. The primary activity took place in the vicinity of 109th Avenue and 157th Street, directly adjacent to P.S. 48, The David N. Dinkins School for Community Service.
In intercepted communications, the defendants spoke in code and referred to heroin as “food” and, in one instance, said that a customer “loved that chicken the last time.” A total of 17 buys of cocaine and heroin took place among undercover police officers and the defendants between January 2023 and October 2024, resulting in $1,575 worth of seized drugs.
Defendant Kenny Paul allegedly acted as a supplier for the operation. On Nov. 22, intercepted communications indicated that he had fired his weapon at a house in Rosedale after a drug-related dispute. A search warrant was secured for his residence and four illegal guns, 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, several pounds of cannabis and $140,000 in proceeds were recovered. Paul was arrested at that time and is currently remanded.
On Tuesday, Dec. 17, law enforcement officials conducted court-authorized search warrants at three residences in Springfield Gardens and Jamaica, resulting in the arrests of the three defendants and the seizure of a loaded .44-caliber revolver, 132 glassine envelopes containing approximately 44 grams of heroin, 103 packages containing a mixture of glassine envelopes and Ziplock bags each containing approximately 75 grams of cocaine, a Ziplock bag containing around three grams of fentanyl and a black Ziplock bag containing around two grams of cocaine and a green plastic vile containing around 12 grams of fentanyl.
Officers recovered a large quantity of “twists,” which is a slang term for small bags containing narcotics secured with a twist tie. They seized two twists containing approximately 264 grams of fentanyl, a twist containing approximately 11 grams of heroin, two twists containing 36 grams of black tar heroin, four twists containing 317 grams of powder cocaine and two twists containing approximately 62 grams of crack cocaine. They recovered drug paraphernalia, including scales with cocaine and heroin residue, a blender with what appears to be fentanyl residue and a folded letter with defendant Romeo Izquierdo’s name, which contained approximately 10 grams of crack cocaine.
The crew’s leader, John Price, faces a potential maximum sentence of life in prison. Kenny Paul faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Romeo Izquierdo faces up to 20 years in prison. Lamell Ford faces up to nine years in prison. Victor Izquierdo faces a potential maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment. Leon Spears faces up to 12 years in prison.
“I’d like to thank members of my Major Economic Crimes Bureau and the NYPD,” Katz said. “Especially the undercover officers who placed themselves directly in harm’s way, for their work on this case.”
