AUGUST 17, 2000

CONTINUING INITIATIVE BY JOINT LAW ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE AT JFK AIRPORT TO INTERDICT MARIJUANA SMUGGLING RESULTS IN ARREST OF RING USING EXOTIC DANCERS AS DRUG COURIERS

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, joined by officials of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and other law enforcement agencies, announced today the arrest of a gang which smuggled as much as 400 pounds of marijuana worth more than $2 million a week through John F. Kennedy International Airport using exotic dancers as couriers. The arrests are the product of a 12-month long investigation which included the use of drug-sniffing dogs, confidential informants, undercover police officers, physical surveillance and court authorized eavesdropping aimed at stopping the smuggling of marijuana through JFK Airport.

District Attorney Brown said, "Trafficking in marijuana has become more and more prevalent in recent years as traffickers have concluded that the marijuana trade can often be just as lucrative as dealing in other drugs -- and a lot less risky if one is caught since the penalties for marijuana possession are substantially less than those for possession of other controlled substances. And marijuana trafficking often leads to the kind of violence that is prevalent in other types of drug trafficking. According to the New York City Police Department there were 15 marijuana trafficking related homicides in the City last year and numerous shootings among those engaged in the marijuana trade."

District Attorney Brown continued, "Over the course of the past few years, a joint federal, state and local law enforcement task force operating out of JFK International Airport has sought to interdict the couriers or ‘mules’ carrying marijuana into the airport especially aboard flights from California. As a result, numerous search warrants have been executed, many individuals have been arrested and many seizures of marijuana have been made from the luggage of airline passengers and from packages and cargo shipments going through John F. Kennedy Airport. The sale and possession of marijuana are not victimless crimes -- 77% of drug users began by using marijuana and hashish; 49 % of high school seniors have experimented with marijuana. We will continue our efforts to prevent drug trafficking through the airport and across the City."

Port Authority Director of Public Safety and Police Superintendent Fred Morrone said, "Port Authority Police Detective Phillip Stephenson nearly lost his life last year as he worked to bring marijuana smugglers to justice. The Port Authority Police have a steadfast determination to stop those who would use our trade and transportation facilities to spread the scourge of drugs in our society."

Special Agent in Charge of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Region Lewis Rice, Jr., said, "The seizures of drugs in this investigation is as a result of the successful alliance between state, local, and federal enforcement agencies and the outstanding cooperation of the District Attorney’s office. Persistent law enforcement intelligence sharing and the pooling of resources contributed to the elimination of this traffic route which transported marijuana from California to New York City."

It is alleged that Patrick Anthony Brown -- who was taken into custody early this morning and is known in the trade as the "Fat Man" -- hired a number of young women, including a group of exotic dancers whom he knew from a club that he frequented in Brooklyn known as "The Warehouse", to travel to California and thereafter return through JFK with their luggage stuffed with marijuana. The couriers -- some of whom were under the age of 19 -- were allegedly provided with round-trip airline tickets and were paid $1,000 -- for each trip made. They brought back with them as much as 100 pounds of marijuana each time that they traveled to California.

The couriers were generally met as they came off their flights and taken to Patrick’s home. At times pre-paid car service was used to meet the couriers. Forged or borrowed identification which conformed to the airline tickets provided was used. Generally the trips were made on a Thursday with the return trip being made on Saturday. Ofttimes the couriers were given large quantities of cash to be delivered to the California suppliers.

It is alleged that the marijuana was stored at Patrick’s home and was thereafter distributed not only in the New York metropolitan area but up into Westchester and Connecticut and down to Philadelphia using private automobiles, Amtrak and taxi service.

It is estimated that ring was responsible for moving as much as 400 pounds of marijuana having a street value of some $2.0 million dollars through JFK Airport each week.

The defendants are charged with various counts of sale and possession of marijuana and conspiracy and face up to 15 years in jail if convicted.

The investigation was conducted by Port Authority Police Department Detectives John Trotter, Michael Molina and Steve Poulos, under direction of Lieutenant Ray Dilena. The United States Customs Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration assisted in the investigation.

Assistant District Attorneys Anthony DellaCroce and Gregory Pavlides, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Narcotics Investigations Bureau which is under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Wilbert LeMelle and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Investigations Peter A. Crusco are in charge of the prosecutions.

A list of individuals arrested and charged during the course of the investigation is attached.

It should be noted that an arrest is merely an accusation and that a defendant should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.