State AG: $10.4M coke ring set up shop fast

Hazleton Times // News

May 28, 2009

Five of 17 charged in Operation Second String remain wanted, he says.

By Edward Lewis elewis@timesleader.com
Staff Writer

PLAINS TWP. – It didn’t take long for a group of alleged drug dealers to move into the Hazleton area after a previous group had been swept out, Pennsylvania’s chief prosecutor said on Wednesday.

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Attorney General Tom Corbett talks about ‘Operation Second String’ Wednesday. Behind him is Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta.

Clark Van Orden/The Times Leader

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State Attorney General Tom Corbett said undercover narcotics agents and Hazleton police broke up a $10.4 million cocaine trafficking ring that had been operating in the city for nearly two years.

“In September 2007, we took down one of the largest cocaine trafficking rings in Hazleton as part of Operation Boomerang,” Corbett said during a Wednesday afternoon news conference in Plains Township. “Less than two years later, we are here again arresting a new set of drug dealers who thought they could simply step in and continue what the previous group had started.”

Corbett said 17 people were charged with various drug offenses as a result of a 10-month investigation known as Operation Second String, including one person wanted for shooting a man eight times on May 11.

Four people were charged by Hazleton police for hindering the capture of one of the alleged drug traffickers Tuesday night.

Corbett said those charged in the latest investigation had it easy, relying on customers associated with Operation Boomerang, an investigation that centered on a $31 million cocaine trafficking ring in the Hazleton area in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

“They took advantage of a substantial network of customers already in place,” Corbett said. “There will always be someone, some group to move in as demand for drugs is strong.”

Five of the 17 people charged in Operation Second String remain wanted. Most were captured Tuesday into Wednesday morning, Corbett said.

Deputy State Attorney General Tim Doherty identified Ricardo “Noriega” Callender, 23, of Putnam Street, Hazleton, and Aramis “Flaco” Colon, 22, of West Chapel Street, Hazleton, as the ring leaders.

Corbett said those charged on Tuesday were peddling a kilo of cocaine and earning $100,000 a week. By comparison, Corbett said, those arrested in Operation Boomerang were earning approximately $200,000 a week for nearly three years.

Several illegal immigrants were among those arrested on Tuesday, Corbett said.

Corbett identified Junior Diaz, 22, of North Church Street, Hazleton, as “the go-to guy” for undercover narcotic agents. Diaz was the middle man who allegedly exchanged cocaine for money, Corbett said.

Diaz, who remains at large, is also wanted by Hazleton police for allegedly shooting Alex Rivera, 23, of Mahanoy City, eight times at Diamond Avenue and Carson Street around 2 a.m. May 11, according to court records.

Corbett said the shooting was over a dispute about a woman.

Luzerne County District Attorney Jacqueline Musto Carroll and Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta praised the narcotics agents and police for 10 months of hard work.

Those not in custody besides Diaz are: Victor “Rolando” Peguero, 29, of North Locust Street, Hazleton; Alejando “Manso” Serrano-Hernandez, 41, of South Cedar Street, South Hazle Street and East Chestnut Street, Hazleton; Jose Alex Burgos-Garcia, 30, of Alter Street, Hazleton; and a man known as Juan Doe, according to Doherty.

Arrested and charged with various drug offenses were:

Jose Valoy, 33, East Green Street; Aramis “Flaco” Colon, 22, West Chapel Street; Ricardo “Noreiga” Callender, 23, Putnam Street; Michael Diaz, 30, South Locust Street; Cesar “Cavallo” Vazquez-Guerro, 29, North Church Street; Osvaldo “P-Teen” Jimenez Aquino, 28, West Second Street; Yashira Flores-Movet, 27, East Tamarac Street; Yendaliz Gonzalez-Valle, 26, North Church Street; Jean C. Nunez, 24, Monroe Avenue; Ramon Nivar, 21, West Maple Street; all from Hazleton; Pedro “Petie” Contes, 29, of Washington Avenue, West Hazleton, and a man known as John Doe.

Edward Lewis, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7196.

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23 Reader Comments

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Jeff said...

This area will never be rid of the filthy scum from other States. This case is proof or how they arrest a handful of dealers, and TWO more handfuls step in to take their place. It was let go for to long, and now it's overrun with the scum. What amazes me is the amount of USERS in the area. Why would anyone CHOOSE to walk around in a coma, turn violent and rob, and destroy their own families? In some Counties, they would be PUT TO DEATH for the use and selling of drugs. Here, a mere slap on the wrist, coddle them through a program, then back on the streets to start all over again. The reason we'll NEVER be clean of the scum? LENIENT COURT SYSTEM.

May 28, 2009 at 6:17 AM

SLIP said...

The only agancy that enforces narcotic violations that makes it always the huge production with photographs news releases and flow charts, instead of simply methodically going about it's job. It's always a publicity hunt.

May 28, 2009 at 7:11 AM

mike martin said...

So much for assimilation. The cancer continues to grow. Will it stop before social/cultural suicide occurs?

May 28, 2009 at 7:12 AM

Jose Garcia said...

I use to think that Hazleton mayor Barletta didn't like Hispanics, but after reading the list of those arrested I understand now why he wants to get rid of illegal aliens. What a shame to our people - YES, I am Hispanic and proud of it. These people have brought sucha disgrace to Hispanics it is no wonder all of us are viewed as bad. Mr. Mayor please keep up your efforts to rid the city of people like this.

May 28, 2009 at 8:07 AM

about time said...

Just one more reason we need to stick with Barletta

May 28, 2009 at 9:26 AM

John Q. Public said...

I am so sick and tired of the AG's Office enless PR. Please stop labeling your drug investigations with stupid names like "Operation ___ ". Please stop inflating the street value of the drugs seized. Please stop suggesting that you have put a dent in drug trafficing. The public is not stupid. Otherwise, I appreciate your work. Thanks.

May 28, 2009 at 9:33 AM

Scott said...

Great Job and keep it up!!

May 28, 2009 at 9:53 AM

Cityrefugee said...

Yeah, and enough with the flow charts already. They're just downright silly and nothing but overdramatic PR. Boring.

May 28, 2009 at 10:07 AM

Santo said...

Tell us again, oh great liberal media how these illegal immigrants are just looking for economic opportunity and are not doing anything illegal once they get here.

May 28, 2009 at 10:14 AM

Vinny said...

To Jose... I know Lou Barletta both professionally and personally. He is not prejudice against Hispanics. As a matter of fact, he has a closer personal relationship with many hispanics, some of whom are in his family. He, like me, is against ILLEGAL ALIENS and lawbreakers. The left want to paint all people against illegals as bigots and racists. This is simply not true. Join with us Jose and fight against illegal immigration. The ones most hurt by them are the legal immigrants, poor whites and blacks in general.

May 28, 2009 at 10:17 AM

Vinny said...

To Slip- The publicity is necessary to act as a deterant to others thinking about selling drugs or breaking the law. It is publicity to say "WE WILL GET YOU" but I am sure you are the same person that will complain, "oh, Corbett (or the cops) doesn't do enough to go after drug dealers.

May 28, 2009 at 10:20 AM

Mike said...

SCUMBAGS. Put them awaya longer than a day! Please!

May 28, 2009 at 10:35 AM

Bob R said...

Hazleton has a very large hispanic population, both legal and illegal. Hazleton also has "affordable housing" which is attracting the good and the bad. It is time for the so called hispanic leaders and spokespeople to grab the bull by the horn and rid their own community of the illegals and the "bad" who continue to give the rest of the population a bad name. I suspect most know what is going on; now show us you want to solve this problem and become part of the solution???

May 28, 2009 at 10:47 AM

Web Watcher said...

I'm with you, Jeff. I agree 100% with your comment. I think investigators and the DA's office is doing a great job getting dealers off the street, but the result would be even better if they had more manpower. But even then, you have to worry about "bad seeds" among law enforcement personnel...you know, the ones that lend a tip to the dealers here and there for a little extra cash in their pockets. It's a shame, but it definitely exists. Our "lenient" court system should rethink their penalties. They should take into consideration not only the amount of drugs possessed by and sold by these individuals, but also the number of people they've sold to and the impact it has had on their families. I just can't figure out why no one has had the b*lls to step up and do something about it.

May 28, 2009 at 10:57 AM

Fred said...

And the look on the mayor's face says it all..."if only i had been successful in passing and enforcing those illegal alien ordinances." now look what hazleton is stuck with. there is no going back...

May 28, 2009 at 11:22 AM

virginia said...

It's about time that drugs and guns have to go. What do we pay the higher ups for? Let me have your paycheck if you are not going to do your job. I work hard, living paycheck to paycheck and for what so I can be afraid to go out after dark? It never used to be like this. I get home from work and lock my doors and windows to hopefully keep myself safe. Thanks to you government officials, I live my life in fear of shootings and robberies. So much for land of the free and home of the brave.

May 28, 2009 at 12:10 PM

FTW said...

"Several illegal immigrants were among those arrested on Tuesday, Corbett said." And wasn't it Hazleton City Councilwoman Evelyn Graham who just told us recently that Hazleton doesn't have a problem with illegals?

May 28, 2009 at 12:29 PM

malcolm brunges said...

I likr your comments Virgina my brother lives there.Mac

May 28, 2009 at 1:52 PM

GOD BLESS SOPRANO said...

that john soprano from the AG office is awsome. he gets all these drug dealers here in hazleton he should run for mayor after barletta wins higher office keep up the crime fighting soprano

May 28, 2009 at 3:48 PM

frankencop said...

good job guys and ladies from hazleton pd and the ag office. case makers soprano did an outstounding job i like reading his name for all these arrests in hazleton

May 28, 2009 at 4:02 PM

Fred said...

If the people in this area didnt want and use the drugs then the drug dealers would not be here. Its a case of demand and supply. Dont lame the drug dealer wholly.

May 28, 2009 at 7:26 PM

Mike said...

If drug dealers are making $100,000 a week selling that much cocaine, then someone higher up isn't doing their job. This is a local problem but much more a national problem. If the border patrol, Homeland Security, etc were funded properly, staffed properly and so on, we wouldn't this much trouble.

May 28, 2009 at 11:18 PM

wake up said...

whos the majority of people buying these drugs, are they illegal aliens to.or just good old americans getting high, can i use that as an excuse to get high and spend my paycheck this week on crack because illegal alien felipe up the street got some good s#*t?....

May 28, 2009 at 11:19 PM