Seven people, including late mob boss John Gotti’s grandson, were arrested on accusations of selling pharmaceuticals in Howard Beach and Ozone Park, Queens, over a 12-month span.
On Thursday, Queens DA Richard A. Brown announced that search warrants executed at Rebel Ink Tattoo Parlor, where Gotti is allegedly a partner, three residences and two of Gotti’s cars recovered approximately $240,000 in cash, more than 850 oxycodone and Xanax pills and drug record-keeping ledgers. RELATED:Anthony Cardinale talks Whitey, Gotti and the FBI “The drug in which the defendants are alleged to have primarily trafficked – oxycodone – is especially popular with club patrons despite the fact that it poses serious health risks,” Brown said. “Today’s arrests not only cut off the suppliers of these drugs, but the distributors as well.” The seven defendants, including John Gotti, Justin Testa, Shaine Hack, Steve Kruger, Edward Holohan, Michael Farduchi and Melissa Erul, were variously charged with first-, second- and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, conspiracy and money laundering, the DA stated. Gotti, Kruger and Testa were additionally charged as traffickers.
John Gotti, grandson of infamous mobster, arrested in Oxycodone dealing ring https://t.co/RXGUtPCxyi pic.twitter.com/oKft9frBCP
— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) August 4, 2016
As authorities were executing the search warrants, two other women, Eleonor Gabrielle and Dawn Biers, were arrested on charges of drug possession, according to the DA, who added thatundercover officers said they purchased $46,080 worth of oxycodone from Gotti during 11 buys, 10 of which were recorded on both video and audio. “As alleged, John Gotti and the other defendants peddled prescription painkillers from Howard Beach to Ozone Park, contributing to the rampant supply of these potent drugs,” Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said of the arrests. RELATED:Men arrested in Queens with about $3M of cocaine hidden in SUV spare tire The investigation utilized a listening device installed on Gotti’s Infiniti G35 sedan that intercepted a conversation in which Gotti allegedly discussed his oxycodone trafficking business, which he claimed moved more than 4,200 pills every month, generating approximately $100,000 in monthly sales, according to DA Brown. Gotti, Kruger and Testa, if convicted, each face up to 25 years to life in prison, Brown added. The remaining four defendants variously face between nine and 15 years in prison.
