James Andrews of Brentwood and relatives charged in drugs, weapons case in Queens
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said of the drug arrest, “Those who peddle poison are on notice." Credit: Charles Eckert
A Brentwood man and several relatives were among 11 defendants arraigned on drug and weapons charges last week following a 15-month investigation into a sprawling drug-trafficking organization that stretched from Jamaica to Suffolk and Westchester counties, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Thursday.
James Andrews of Brentwood supplied heroin and cocaine to a trafficking operation centered on Major Mark Park on Hillside Avenue in Queens, according to Katz. Andrews allegedly employed his wife, two brothers and other associates in the drug operation. A 61-count indictment charges Andrews, 50, with operating as a major trafficker, second- and fourth-degree conspiracy, and other charges. He was ordered held without bail.
Yemi Blair of Brentwood served as Andrews’ primary cocaine supplier, Katz said. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted multiple packages of cocaine delivered to Blair at locations throughout New York, including a day care facility in Queens, she said.
Blair, 50, also has been charged with operating as a major trafficker and with additional drug and weapons charges. Blair was ordered held in lieu of $50,000 cash or $500,000 bond.
“Those who peddle poison are on notice,” Katz said in a statement on Thursday. “There is no higher priority for my office than to rid our communities of drugs and guns. This type of ‘family business’ will simply not pay.”
Blair has been a respected small-business owner in Queens for more than 20 years, said his attorney, David Cohen of Queens. Cohen said his client would file civil actions against New York City and the NYPD because of damage done to his home and car during searches by police. “He vehemently denies the allegations,” Cohen said.
Cohen represented Andrews and his wife, Rose Andrews, at last week’s arraignment, but he said he no longer represents the couple. It was not clear Thursday if Andrews and his wife had hired or been assigned new legal representation. Andrews, who was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on Dec. 6, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He is due to return to court on Jan. 20.
Rose Andrews, 60, helped her husband store and package drugs at their Brentwood home, Katz said. She is charged with first- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy, three counts of criminal possession of a weapon and other charges. She faces up to 20 years if convicted. She is scheduled to return to court on March 1 and was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail, $50,000 bond.
James Andrews’ brothersTaron Samuels of Rochdale Village and Dijon Andrews of Jamaica allegedly worked shifts at the park and are accused of supplying drugs to another defendant who controlled drug sales in the park. Andrews’ girlfriend, Tanta Jones, is accused of helping store and package drugs at the apartment she shared with him in Rochdale Village.
Samuels, 49, faces drug charges and up to nine years in prison if convicted. Dijon Andrews, 38, faces gun charges and up to 15 years in prison if convicted. He was freed on supervised release. Samuels’ attorney, Jeff Cohen, said his client was innocent of the charges, but he declined to comment further because he had not yet reviewed evidence in the case.
Dijon Andrews, 38, faces weapons charges and up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He was ordered held without bail. His attorney, Bernardo Caceres of the Queens Defenders, did not return a request for comment.
Jones, 41, was charged with drug and gun violations and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Her attorney, David Bart of Queens, declined comment.
Katz said authorities seized weapons and ammunition, including an AR-15 rifle, at the Andrews residence in Brentwood, along with more than $56,000 in cash. She said they found heroin, crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and weapons in cars belonging to James Andrews, as well as hundreds of glassines of heroin, crack cocaine and more than $5,500 at the Rochdale Village apartment.
Authorities said they seized guns, drug paraphernalia and more than $56,000 at Blair’s home in Brentwood.
A Brentwood man and several relatives were among 11 defendants arraigned on drug and weapons charges last week following a 15-month investigation into a sprawling drug-trafficking organization that stretched from Jamaica to Suffolk and Westchester counties, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said Thursday.
James Andrews of Brentwood supplied heroin and cocaine to a trafficking operation centered on Major Mark Park on Hillside Avenue in Queens, according to Katz. Andrews allegedly employed his wife, two brothers and other associates in the drug operation. A 61-count indictment charges Andrews, 50, with operating as a major trafficker, second- and fourth-degree conspiracy, and other charges. He was ordered held without bail.
Yemi Blair of Brentwood served as Andrews’ primary cocaine supplier, Katz said. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted multiple packages of cocaine delivered to Blair at locations throughout New York, including a day care facility in Queens, she said.
Blair, 50, also has been charged with operating as a major trafficker and with additional drug and weapons charges. Blair was ordered held in lieu of $50,000 cash or $500,000 bond.
“Those who peddle poison are on notice,” Katz said in a statement on Thursday. “There is no higher priority for my office than to rid our communities of drugs and guns. This type of ‘family business’ will simply not pay.”
Blair has been a respected small-business owner in Queens for more than 20 years, said his attorney, David Cohen of Queens. Cohen said his client would file civil actions against New York City and the NYPD because of damage done to his home and car during searches by police. “He vehemently denies the allegations,” Cohen said.
Cohen represented Andrews and his wife, Rose Andrews, at last week’s arraignment, but he said he no longer represents the couple. It was not clear Thursday if Andrews and his wife had hired or been assigned new legal representation. Andrews, who was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on Dec. 6, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He is due to return to court on Jan. 20.
Rose Andrews, 60, helped her husband store and package drugs at their Brentwood home, Katz said. She is charged with first- and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second-degree conspiracy, three counts of criminal possession of a weapon and other charges. She faces up to 20 years if convicted. She is scheduled to return to court on March 1 and was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail, $50,000 bond.
James Andrews’ brothersTaron Samuels of Rochdale Village and Dijon Andrews of Jamaica allegedly worked shifts at the park and are accused of supplying drugs to another defendant who controlled drug sales in the park. Andrews’ girlfriend, Tanta Jones, is accused of helping store and package drugs at the apartment she shared with him in Rochdale Village.
Samuels, 49, faces drug charges and up to nine years in prison if convicted. Dijon Andrews, 38, faces gun charges and up to 15 years in prison if convicted. He was freed on supervised release. Samuels’ attorney, Jeff Cohen, said his client was innocent of the charges, but he declined to comment further because he had not yet reviewed evidence in the case.
Dijon Andrews, 38, faces weapons charges and up to 20 years in prison if convicted. He was ordered held without bail. His attorney, Bernardo Caceres of the Queens Defenders, did not return a request for comment.
Jones, 41, was charged with drug and gun violations and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. Her attorney, David Bart of Queens, declined comment.
Katz said authorities seized weapons and ammunition, including an AR-15 rifle, at the Andrews residence in Brentwood, along with more than $56,000 in cash. She said they found heroin, crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia and weapons in cars belonging to James Andrews, as well as hundreds of glassines of heroin, crack cocaine and more than $5,500 at the Rochdale Village apartment.
Authorities said they seized guns, drug paraphernalia and more than $56,000 at Blair’s home in Brentwood.
