| Among 16
Bronxites Indicted in Valentine Ave Drug
Case Marcus Loses Appeal VICAR Cited
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
March 21 – Angel
Villafane, previously
convicted of a felony, was
arrested for having a gun in
incidents starting at 97th
Street and Second Avenue then
110th Street and the FDR (long
barrel firearm)
On May 20,
2022 U.S. District Court for
the Southern District of New
York Judge Victor
Marrero held a conference.
Inner City Press covered it,
the only media there.
Jump cut to March
6, 2024 - now it was grown to
a 16 defendant indictment: "As
alleged, day in and day out,
this crew distributed
fentanyl, heroin, and crack
along several blocks on
Valentine Avenue."
Inner City Press
went to arraignments including
that of Christopher Meadows,
who the prosecutor described
as an enforcer for the lead
named defendant (who was
detained on consent).
Based on
medical conditions named in
court but which Inner City
Press will voluntarily not
report, he was ordered bailed
on $50,000 bond to his
mother's residence in
Soundview by Magistrate Judge
Valerie Figueredo. On the day
of appeal, the US agreed to
release.
On March 15,
another co-defendant had a
bail hearing before Magistrate
Judge Stewart D. Aaron. Inner
City Press was there, here
OK - now at bail
hearing in Bronx Valentine Ave
16 case - 10 supporters of
detained defendant here.
Defense: My client could move
out of The Bronx, to his
mother's on Staten Island, or
to a suretor's in Orange
County. He's charged with
aiding & abetting the use
or brandishing of a firearm in
connection with narcotics
sales
AUSA: We are
appealing one order to
release: we agreed to release
Meadows ["The Enforcer," Inner
City Press live tweeted that
too]. Defense: My client
manages a musician, sells
clothing at clubs. He used to
be a porter at Tracy Towers
[in The Bronx]
AUSA: He
possessed a loaded weapon, and
sold fentanyl. He faces 360
months to life in prison. Four
cooperating witnesses will
testify against him, one of
them a rival. Another will
testify to selling him a gun.
AUSA: He
was arrested with a gun and
hollow point bullets, in a
bedroom shared with a two year
old autistic child. He is a
clear and present danger to
the community
Judge: I'm
focusing on danger to the
community. A gun was found at
your residence. I'm ordering
detention.
On March 20,
co-defendant Damel Marcus
asked for release on bail, in
Magistrates Court. Inner City
Press was there, thread
Late in the day
came notice that the defense
has appealed to Part I, for
March 21. Inner City Press was
there, thread:
AUSA: As we put
on the record yesterday, there
are multiple cooperating
witnesses that this defendant
was involved in drugs and
guns. He joined the crew in
2018. 3 will testify to 2
discharges [of a gun] He fired
back at a rival, and another
time after a fight
Judge: When
was that?
AUSA: 2020. In a
third incident, a crew member
was ambushed and knocked to
the grounds. Metal chains that
had been heated on a space
heater were used to beat him.
This defendant participated,
this beating with heated
chains in 2021
Defense: They
didn't take that to the grand
jury. So this is hearsay, not
thought sufficient to take to
a grand jury. Judge: The
AUSA says they have
cooperating witnesses AUSA:
For the VICAR charges we seek,
we need approval outside our
office
Defense:
This is ipsi dixit! Judge: We
have a proffer from the
Government. Defense: 49 year
olds rarely cut their GPS
bracelet, or those with
passport issues
Judge: I am
ordering him to continue to be
detained. I am concerned about
the firearms discharge, and
the wielding of the chains,
that he was present. Adjourned
Watch this site.
The case is US v.
Villafane, et al., 21-cr-93
(Marrero /
Stein)
***
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