FOUR INDICTED FOR MARIJUANA TRAFFICKING IN A SHOE STORE

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown today announced the indictment of four members of a marijuana distribution and sales ring that allegedly co-opted a Payless Shoe Store as if it were their own marijuana mart to stash and sell drugs and to store guns and cash. A fifth man, Samuel Folkes, the ringleader, is being sought on drug and attempted murder charges stemming from a dispute with a customer. A sixth person was indicted for marijuana sales.

District Attorney Brown said, "Last Fall, detectives assigned to the New York City Police Department's Southeast Queens Initiative and members of my office's Narcotics Investigations Bureau learned that a group of people had, for all intents and purposes, taken over a legitimate shoe store in the Jamaica Coliseum Mall and were using the premises to conduct their illegal business. Every day legitimate store employees and customers alike were being intimidated and harassed by the defendants and being forced to endure a steady stream of illegal drug activity. Additionally, on at least two occasions, our investigation revealed, the defendants were seen showing each other handguns they had acquired and hidden inside shoe boxes."

"It is alleged," District Attorney Brown continued, "that the defendants stored and sold up to 12 pounds of marijuana a day in varying quantities. The sales took place both inside the store as well as on the street in front of the store which is located at 89-58 165th Street, Jamaica. The marijuana was stashed on store shelves and in shoe boxes."

According to the charges from January 13, 1998 to April 16, 1998 the four defendants engaged in a pattern of entering, remaining and unlawfully using the store to possess marijuana and guns and to sell marijuana. It is charged that during the course of the investigation the defendants sold marijuana to a police officer on eight occasions for a total of $1,200. In addition to criminal sale of marijuana the defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit burglary and criminal possession of a weapon. They face up to 7 years in prison upon conviction.

District Attorney Brown said that search warrants were executed by police officers at the residence of Samuel Folkes, 26, of 255-03 149th Rd., Rosedale, who coordinated the gang's activity and is now being sought, Antonio Lewis, 34, and Michael Lewis, 35, both of 140-16 172nd St., Wayne Mundy, 31, of 119-16 201st St., Rosedale, and Chris Jackson, 25, of 135 Hancock St., Brooklyn, Lorena Thomas, 20, of 119-16 201st St., Queens was charged with selling marijuana and possession of a weapon. A search was also made of the Payless Shoe Store located at 89-58 165th Street in Jamaica. Detectives under the command of Lt. Manning seized: over two pounds of marijuana, a 9mm defaced pistol, beepers, scales, plastic bags and other drug paraphernalia.

The investigation leading to the arrests was conducted by Detective Joseph Laquinto of the Southeast Queens Initiative, which is under the command of Deputy Inspector Dennis McCarthy and is part of the Narcotics Borough Queens under the command of Inspector Thomas Sweeney.

Assistant District Attorneys Thomas G. Luzio, Deputy Bureau Chief of District 'Attorney Brown's Narcotics Investigations Bureau, and Joan Yang, under the supervision of Bureau Chief Peter A. Crusco and the overall supervision of Robert Alexander, are assigned to prosecute the case.

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