Operation 315 Nabs 33 People

A Hogansburg man is among 33 people indicted in a multi-agency investigation into heroin and cocaine distribution throughout St. Lawrence County.

Justin M. Lashomb, 31, Hogansburg was arrested and charged March 12, accused of conspiracy and controlled substance sale felonies.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman was in Watertown the day of his arrest to announce the operation at a press conference.

At that time, 26 of the 33 had been taken into custody. Of the seven that remained at large, four are alleged to have been the top of what Schneiderman referred to as "four loosely-related drug distribution networks that funneled heroin and cocaine across state and county lines into St. Lawrence County."

On March 16, St. Lawrence County Sheriff deputies charged two of the four alleged ringleaders.

Nilo A. Bachiller, 26, of 164 Burger Avenue, Syracuse and Aundre S. Cole, 28, 141 Burdick Ave., Syracuse are being held at the St. Lawrence County Correctional Facility pending further court action. Bachiller was charged with second-degree conspiracy, second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, all felonies. Cole was charged with fourth-degree conspiracy and third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, both felonies.

Investigators say they both supplied narcotics to St. Lawrence County residents for re-sale.

In addition to Lashomb, Cole and Bachiller, police have arrested and charged Nathan D. Lightfoot, 26, Massena; Paula M. Welsh, 28, Massena; Nicholas P. Adams, 22, Potsdam; Laronda L. Ashlaw, 29, Potsdam; Elizabeth A. Briggs, 23, Canton; Jason C. Brunet, 28, Edwards; Darian J. Cameron, 18, Winthrop; Colin A. Campbell, 25, Winthrop; Zachary W. Cole, 20, Gouverneur; Ryan L. Donaldson, 26, Potsdam; Eric M. Drayse, 34, Adirondacks Region; Ryan M. Finley, 27, Ogdensburg; Kyle D. Hawley, 25, Potsdam; Joshua J. Jones, 24, Edwards; Kyle E. Kain, 21, Potsdam; Matthew A. Klemko, 27, Colton; Gregory S. Lanphear, 24, Edwards; Zachary M. Latimer, 23, Canton; Michael T. Matzell, 28, Potsdam; Caleb J. Serrano, 22, Edwards; Omar L. Serrano, 24, Edwards; Matthew P. Vanhyning, 26, Canton; Reynold R. Voisine, 37, Canton; Justin H. Whitmarsh, 24, Edwards; and Jordan C. Willette, 25, Pierrepont.

"In recent years, heroin use has grown at an alarming rate, and its deadly grip has extended to every corner of New York State," Schneiderman said. "Statewide, we're cracking down on heroin and those who are bringing it into our communities, and we are using every weapon in our arsenal. As part of a multi-faceted approach, my office has equipped law enforcement officers across New York with a life-saving heroin overdose antidote and is also fighting the scourge of prescription drug abuse, which fuels opioid addiction. In partnership with law enforcement agencies like the St. Lawrence County Sheriff's office, we can save lives and fight this devastating epidemic."

State and local law enforcement agents, led by the New York State Attorney General's Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Office, the New York State Police and St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force, conducted a year-long investigations called "Operation 315" that included covert physical surveillance and hundreds of hours of wiretaps in a coordinated effort to identify and shut down heroin pipelines, Schneiderman said.

Indictments unsealed in St. Lawrence County Court on March 12 are the result of a year-long investigation in which law enforcement officials seized approximately two kilograms, or 4.4 pounds, of heroin, which has an estimated street value of $500,000. Investigators also say they seized more than five kilograms, or 11 pounds, of cocaine, with a street value estimated at $600,000, as well as over $100,000 in cash, seven hand guns, three assault rifles, two shotguns and a rifle.

The four indictments, which include a total of 111 criminal counts, charge each of the defendants with crimes that carry significant state prison time. The counts range from top felony charges of second-degree conspiracy, which carries a maximum of 25 years behind bars and first-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, which carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, to misdemeanor criminal sale of a controlled substance.

The first indictment charges 11 defendants with distribution of heroin and cocaine. Evidence developed during the investigation and outlined in court papers, shows that Nicholas Adams of Potsdam purchased heroin in Leominster, Mass. and brought it to St. Lawrence County for distribution, where it was allegedly sold on the streets in the Potsdam area. One of his co-defendants, Laronda Ashlaw, who resided with Adams, allegedly brought heroin from Massachusetts with her toddler in a vehicle. A loaded assault weapon and hypodermic needles were seized from a closet in the child's room. Stolen goods, including jewelry, from two burglaries were also found in the home, court papers allege.

A second indictment charges 20 people, including three who are also named in the first indictment. This indictment charges three alleged drug suppliers, one from Yonkers, one from the Bronx, and a third of Syracuse, with cocaine and heroin distribution for allegedly supplying drugs to Colin Campbell, Joshua Jones, Caleb Serrano and Jordan Willette, all of St. Lawrence County, Schneiderman said.

One of the out-of-county suppliers allegedly concealed the heroin he delivered from New York City by stowing it in the lining of the trunk of a 2008 Cadillac CTS. Defendants Caleb and Omar Serrano, who are brothers, concealed the cocaine that they trafficked inside of a lint brush in the car they drove, and another defendant, who is handicapped, concealed the heroin that he was transporting within the seat of his wheelchair that was stowed in his car. Drugs in this second alleged conspiracy came from New York City and Syracuse and were allegedly sold in the Edwards, Pierrepont and Stockholm areas of St. Lawrence County, Schneiderman said.

The third and fourth indictments charge nine people, four of whom are also named in the first two indictments, as members of the conspiracy to distribute heroin. Those charged in the third indictment include the handicapped defendant, who is charged with redistributing heroin for resale in the county via this third alleged network. The fourth indictment includes charges against a fourth out-of-county supplier with distributing cocaine to Jason Burnette, among other counts, Schneiderman said.

Law enforcement agencies that participated in the investigation include the Canton Police Department, the Potsdam Police Department, Massena Police Department, the Gouverneur Police Department, the Ogdensburg City Police Department, the St. Lawrence County District Attorney's Office, the Syracuse Police and Onondaga County Sheriff's Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Franklin County Drug Task Force, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol and the Border Enforcement Security Task Force, and the Coast Guard Investigative Service.