News Release [print friendly page]
August 5, 2004

Capital District Drug Enforcement Task Force Dismantles Schenectady based Cocaine Distribution Network

AUG 10 -- Glenn T. Suddaby, United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York and Anthony P. Placido, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New York Office today announced that a federal grand jury for the Northern District of New York in Albany has charged eleven individuals in a nine count indictment with conspiracy to distribute cocaine from New York City to Schenectady and elsewhere between August 2003 and June 2004 and also charged nine of the defendants with the substantive charges of distribution of cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine on various days between January 2004 and June 2004. The maximum possible penalty is life imprisonment and a fine of $4,000,000.00, with a statutory minimum penalty of imprisonment for 10 years.

Defendants, Affis Cruz, Santiago Castillo, Kenneth Gibson and Christopher Restifo appeared before United States Magistrate Judge David R. Homer in Albany on August 4, 2004. The defendants, Redmond McKinnon, John E. Howard, III, Roland Riggins, Williams Pendelton, Glenn Smith Jr. and Daniel Williams appeared before Judge Homer on June 9, 2004. McKinnon, Riggins. Pendelton, Smith, Williams, Cruz and Santiago are being detained without bail. Gibson and Restifo have detention hearings scheduled before Judge Homer on August 5, 2004.

About 10 pounds of cocaine and $130,000 in cash were seized during the course of the investigation of the conspiracy that the defendants are alleged to be a participants in. It is alleged that the source of the cocaine was in New York City and that the cocaine was distributed in Schenectady and Saratoga Counties.

The indictment seeks a judgement against all the defendants in the amount of $1,125, 932.00, and the forfeiture of five pieces of real estate and five automobiles.

The investigation that resulted in these charges was conducted by the Capital District Drug Enforcement Task Force, the New York State Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force, the New York State Police, the Schenectady Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence Kelly is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence Kelly at (518) 431-0247

The addresses and dates of birth:
Redmond Andre McKinnon, 1010 Regent Street, Schenectady, New York
Date of birth: June 9, 1968

William J. Pendelton, 56A West Street, Ballston Spa, New York
Date of birth: July 26, 1976

Daniel Williams, 544 North Brandywine Avenue, Schenectady, New York
Date of birth: May 12, 1974

John E. Howard, III, 544 Paige Street, Schenectady, New York
Date of Birth: September 12, 1976

Roland J. Riggins, 829 Salina Street, Schenectady, New York
Date of birth: July 15, 1972

Glenn Smith, Jr, 202 Furman Street, Schenectady, New York
Date of birth: October 4, 1966

Affis Cruz, 511 West 135th Street, Apt. 3D, New York, New York
Date of Birth: October 16, 1961

Santiago Castillo, 1580 West Glover Street, Bronx, New York
Date of Birth: May 1, 1965

Kenneth Gibson, 152 Maple Avenue, Scotia, New York
Date of Birth: August 4, 1974

Christopher Restifo, 198 Marriott Avenue, Schenectady, New York
Date of Birth: April 16, 1974