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By RON LIEBACK [email protected]
Wednesday, April 13, 2005 Page: 8A
A West Hazleton man involved in a $2 million cocaine ring pleaded guilty
Monday to drug charges in U.S. District Court, according to court papers.
Raymond Fils-Aime was one of 30 people arrested in November 2003 in the
first of two phases of “Operation Bone Crusher,” a 19-month investigation by
the state Office of Attorney General and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force.
Fils-Aime pleaded guilty to distributing more than 50 grams of crack
cocaine and more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. He faces a sentence of 10 years
to life in prison and a maximum fine of $4 million, according to the plea
agreement.
The investigation began in April 2002 when a Crestwood High School student
was caught with a small amount of marijuana, police said.
The first phase resulted in authorities charging eight people, including
those suspected of being the ring’s kingpins, in November 2003.
During the second phase, authorities arrested 22 people on charges of
selling drugs in the Mountain Top and Hazleton areas.
All together, 30 people have been charged with participating in the ring,
which was based in West Hazleton and had connections to New York City and the
Caribbean island of St. Lucia. Officials said the ring distributed more than
20 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $2 million over several months.
Fils-Aime is held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility awaiting
sentencing.