(WNY News Now) – New York Attorney General Letitia James has revealed indictments against eight suspects in a sweeping drug and firearm trafficking case, leading to the seizure of over 5,000 fentanyl-laced pills, a kilogram of cocaine, and several illegal firearms in Brooklyn.
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the arrests and indictments of eight individuals for their roles in a drug and firearm trafficking operation that illegally sold counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, cocaine, and firearms in Brooklyn. The 156-count indictment charges eight individuals with multiple crimes for their roles in the drug and gun trafficking operation, which resulted in the recovery of more than 5,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing around two kilograms of a fentanyl mixture worth approximately $40,000, 1.3 kilograms of cocaine worth approximately $39,000, three firearms, and a high-capacity magazine.
In a second indictment unsealed today, one of the defendants was also charged for his involvement in a March 2024 shooting in Canarsie, Brooklyn. During the course of the investigation, the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) discovered that one of the defendants admitted to his involvement in the shooting over intercepted communications, bragging that he could have shot the victim in the head or chest, but instead shot him in the hip from two blocks away.
“Disguising fentanyl in fake prescription pills puts vulnerable New Yorkers who are already suffering through opioid addiction at even greater risk,” said Attorney General James. “Taking deadly counterfeit pills, guns, and other narcotics off the street and dismantling the networks selling them will help save lives. My office and our partners in law enforcement continue to use every tool at our disposal to tackle the opioid crisis and keep communities safe from gun violence. I thank the NYPD for their collaboration in this investigation.”
Cocaine and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl seized by the investigation
Counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl seized by the investigation
Today’s takedown is the result of a joint investigation between OCTF and the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) Gun Violence Suppression Division (GVSD). The investigation included the use of controlled narcotics and firearm purchase operations, as well as hundreds of hours of physical and covert surveillance, analysis of electronic evidence, including intercepted cell phone communications, and other traditional investigative methods.
The 156-count indictment charges eight individuals with multiple crimes over two separate conspiracies for their roles in the drug trafficking operation and for possession of firearms.
A second indictment unsealed today also charges Haashim McCorkle for his involvement in a March 2024 shooting in Canarsie.
First Indictment
Conspiracy One
The investigation revealed that from October 2023 to June 2024, Jadin Ruth sold counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, cocaine, and two firearms near his home at the Glenwood Houses in Brooklyn. Shawn Wiltshire and Christopher McMillian supplied Ruth with the counterfeit oxycodone pills and cocaine. The counterfeit oxycodone pills were manufactured to resemble white 10-milligram oxycodone pills or pink 10-milligram oxycodone pills. Ruth referred to the pills by their color, “whites” and “pinks,” and arranged for sales via phone calls and text messages. Ruth often met Wiltshire inside of a bodega near the Glenwood Houses to pick up the counterfeit pills or to pay Wiltshire for the counterfeit oxycodone pills he previously acquired from Wiltshire.
Ruth also sourced large quantities of cocaine from Haashim McCorkle, Huby Ramkissoon, and Stanley Laureano, who transported the cocaine from locations in Brooklyn, Queens, and Westchester counties. Intercepted phone calls and text messages revealed that Ramkissoon and Laureano supplied the cocaine to McCorkle who then resold the cocaine to Ruth near the Glenwood Houses. McCorkle either picked up the cocaine in Queens or Ramkissoon and Laureano drove to his residence in Brooklyn to deliver the cocaine prior to meeting Ruth. In June 2024, members of the investigative team seized 500 grams of cocaine from Laureano’s vehicle in Westchester County, which Laureano and Ramkissoon brought from Queens to sell.
The first indictment — unsealed today before Kings County Supreme Court Judge Danny Chun — charges the eight individuals with multiple crimes over two separate conspiracies. In the first conspiracy, Ruth, Wiltshire, McCorkle, Ramkissoon, McMillan, and Laureano are charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First and Second Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First and Second Degree, and Conspiracy in the Second Degree, among other charges, for their participation in the narcotics trafficking operation. Each of the six individuals charged in the narcotics conspiracy have been charged with Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, which is a class A-I felony. If convicted, Ruth, Wiltshire, McMillan, McCorkle, and Ramkissoon face a maximum of 20 years in prison. Laureano faces a maximum of 24 years in prison if convicted. Additionally, Ruth was also charged with multiple counts of Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Third Degree, a class D violent felony offense, for selling firearms. If convicted, Ruth faces up to seven years of prison for the firearm offenses.
Conspiracy Two
In the second conspiracy, Ramkissoon and Henry Jones are charged with selling Shawn Hill a loaded firearm with two high-capacity magazines. That firearm and magazines were intercepted by law enforcement. Ramkissoon and Jones are charged with Criminal Sale of a Firearm in the Third Degree, a class D violent felony offense, and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, among other charges. Jones and Hill are charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C violent felony offense, and Conspiracy in the Fourth Degree, among other charges. If convicted, Ramkissoon faces up to seven years in prison for his participation in the sale of the firearm. Jones and Hill each face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.
Firearm and ammunition recovered by the investigation
Second Indictment
The second indictment unsealed today charges McCorkle with Attempted Assault in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, stemming from his involvement in a March 2024 shooting in Brooklyn. The investigation revealed that on March 22, 2024, McCorkle fired a deadly weapon at the intersection of Dumont Avenue and Hinsdale Street in Canarsie, Brooklyn, striking a victim in the leg, which required treatment at a local hospital. McCorkle admitted to his involvement in the shooting over intercepted communications, bragging that he could have shot the victim in the head or chest, but instead shot him in the hip from two blocks away. If convicted of Attempted Assault in the First Degree, a class C violent felony offense, McCorkle faces up to 15 years in prison.
Those charged in today’s two indictments include:
- Jadin Ruth, 23, Brooklyn
- Shawn Wiltshire, 38, Brooklyn
- Haashim McCorkle 46, Brooklyn
- Huby Ramkissoon, 49, Yonkers
- Stanley Laureano, 38, Queens
- Christopher McMillian, 20, Brooklyn
- Shawn Hill, 54, Brooklyn
- Henry Jones A/K/A Henry James, 56, Brooklyn
The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“Today’s indictments have exposed a network of individuals who stand accused of participating in the unlawful trade of firearms and drugs within our communities,” said NYPD Interim Commissioner Thomas G. Donlon. “The NYPD, in collaboration with the Attorney General’s office, will persist in our dedicated efforts until all those who prioritize illicit gains over the safety and well-being of New Yorkers are identified and brought to justice.”
Attorney General James thanks the Kings County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance, as well as NYPD Detective Peter Morales from the 67th Precinct Detective Squad.
The investigation was led by NYPD Detective Scott Fernan of the NYPD’s GVSD, under the supervision of NYPD Sergeant Mark Xylas, Executive Officer of GVSD Captain Ryan Gillis, Commanding Officer of GVSD Deputy Inspector Craig Edelman, Assistant Chief Jason Savino, under the overall supervision of Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny.
For OAG, the investigation was led by OCTF Detectives Shavaun Clawson and John Roman, under the supervision of OCTF Supervising Detective Paul Grzegorski, Assistant Chief Ismael Hernandez, and Deputy Chief Andrew Boss, with special assistance from the detective specialists from the OAG Special Operations Unit, led by Deputy Chief Sean Donovan. The Investigations Division is led by Chief Oliver Pu-Folkes.
The case is being prosecuted by OCTF Assistant Deputy Attorney General Jason Navia, under the supervision of Downstate OCTF Deputy Chief Lauren Abinanti with the assistance of OCTF Legal Support Analyst Alex DiGiacomo. Nicole Keary is the Deputy Attorney General in Charge of OCTF. The Criminal Justice Division is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado. Both the Investigations Division and the Division for Criminal Justice are overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.