Summary

Members of the NYC Bully Gang were arrested in Portland, Maine for drug trafficking, with connections to prison officials and the use of flophouses to facilitate their operations.

Abstract

A significant drug trafficking operation involving the NYC Bully Gang has been dismantled in Maine, leading to the arrest of 49 individuals, including a Portland resident charged with money laundering and drug distribution. The gang utilized flophouses across Maine to store drugs, cash, and vehicles with hidden compartments for transporting narcotics between Maine and New York. The operation also uncovered corruption within the prison system, with corrections officers at Riker's Island accused of accepting bribes and conspiring to commit murder. The gang's strategy involved moving trusted members, primarily women with children, to Maine to blend into rural communities and manage the drug trade. The arrests highlighted the ongoing challenge of drug distribution and corruption in the criminal justice system.

Opinions

The author suggests that the use of women with children was a deliberate tactic to avoid suspicion in rural Maine communities.
The article implies a systemic issue within the corrections system, as evidenced by the involvement of active and former prison officers in the drug trade and related criminal activities.
The mention of Paul Manafort's early release from Riker's Island due to health issues, despite others with similar or worse conditions remaining incarcerated, hints at perceived inequities in the justice system.
The detailed listing of the women involved in the drug operations and their roles may reflect a view that the drug trade exploits vulnerable populations, including those eligible for government assistance.
The inclusion of the author's credentials and portfolio at the end of the article suggests an attempt to establish credibility and authority on the subject matter.

DRUGS & DRUG-RUNNERS

Members of the NYC Bully Gang Arrested in Portland, Maine for Drugs

Several indictments served on Maine residents, the NY-based Bully Gang allegedly held several flophouses in Maine to ease the flow of drugs from NY to Portland, Maine.

Photo by Alexander Krivitskiy from Pexels

A 32-year-old Portland resident, Amanda Walton, has been charged with money laundering, conspiracy, and the distribution of heroin and crack cocaine across Maine.

It has been reported these gangs maintained houses in Searsport, Presque Isle, Jay, Detroit, Levant, Troy, Westfield, Portland, Maine, and several other locations.

These flop houses contained drugs, cars, and cash. Investigators seized $380,000 in cash, cars with compartments to hide drugs for their runs from Maine to NY. They also impounded four cars, 6 kg of cocaine, 600 gm of fentanyl, and 15 firearms.

Riker’s Island Courtesy of the Wiki Commons

The Prison Officials Connection

It is reported they made regular runs from Maine to Riker’s and Rahway, two of the largest prisons on the east coast, in cars with specially designed hiding spots to avoid the interest of law enforcement officers (LEO) during routine traffic stops.

Also indicted by a grand jury on drug trafficking charges are a former corrections officer and another still active as a corrections officer at Riker’s Island Correctional Facility.

They supposedly took bribes and accepted favors for some inmates allowed to sell drugs inside the prison walls. Additionally, they are charged with the conspiracy to commit the murder of another gang member imprisoned at Riker’s Island in June of 2018.

Gang members moved “trusted members” (mostly women) to Maine to run their stash houses, the scene of drug storage, distribution, and cash collections throughout Maine, said a member of the US Attorney’s Office in New York.

Riker’s, located between the Bronx and Queens, is NYC primary jail complex. It is where the NYPD takes most accused criminals for processing but also houses a large prison population.

In fact, it is one of the country’s most prominent mental and correctional institutions, housing more than 100,000 “visitors” per year with a budget close to $1 billion yearly.

In fact, Riker’s was the jailhouse for Paul Manafort, the Trump campaign chairman sentenced to seven and one-half years imprisonment. Yet, he was released early (less than a year served) due to his long list of ailments such as ”…diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and respiratory failure and sepsis.” in June 2020. Yet many more with worse disorders remain in prison.

Maine Drug Arrests Graph Courtesy of the Maine Department of Public Safety

Mostly Women with Children Who Wanted to Blend-In

During the roundup of alleged drug-dealers, 49 people were charged in the Bully Gang drug operations and related charges.

Many of those arrested were women with kids shamelessly selling drugs in rural neighborhoods. Women with children do not stand out as much as male gang members in rural Maine. Plus, since their only job is selling illegal drugs, they are eligible for welfare, food stamps, and other benefits.

Court documents show that Walton, released on a $10,000 personal bond, was implicated in having ties to Bermon Clake, 28, a native of Rahway, NJ. She was said to have permitted gang members to register their cars in Maine in her name.

It is also alleged that Walton traveled throughout Maine, sometimes in your neighborhood, delivering drugs and picking up money at stash houses or flophouses in Detroit, Troy, Searsport, Swanville, and others. These are mostly rural communities, like Garland or Levant, Maine.

Also arrested in the drug distribution roundup were: Jessica Almeida, 33, Detroit, ME; Elizabeth Duecaster, 35, Searsport, ME; Janet Blood, 47, of Troy; Nadine Heath, 54, Troy, ME: Erica Faggiole, 44; from Levant, ME; Joanne Lydem, 49, from Garland, ME; Amanda Huard, 38, of Raymond; Nicolette Tompkins, 22, Westfield, ME; Danielle White, 47, Swanville, ME; and Jessica Pelkey, 26, from Presque Isle, ME.

References:

The Bangor Daily News article, NYC gang that ran drug trafficking network allegedly kept stash houses throughout Maine dated 2 March 2021 by Judy Harrison.

The Fox News article, What Is Riker’s Island dated 4 June 2019, by Bradford Betz.

The USA Today article, Coronavirus was Paul Manafort’s ticket home. Many other old, ill, nonviolent inmates are still in prison dated 9 June 2020 by Kristine Phillips.

About the Author Photo by Jean Springs from Pexels

Stephen Dalton is a retired US Army First Sergeant with a degree in journalism from the University of Maryland and a Certified US English Chicago Manual of Style Editor. Top Writer in Fiction, Short Story, VR, NFL, Design, & Transportation. Editor of Pop Off, Top Dalton’s Blog, 100WordStory, B.O.S.S., and SportsShorts100WordsOnly

You can see his portfolio here. Email [email protected]

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