Above are mugshots of the suspects provided by the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office. Top row, from left, Allen Pickney, Amir Hodges, Aquarra Weegar, Arthur Agaman, Bridget Springs and Devin Weller. Middle row, Gerald Castle Jr., James Pribble, Jerry Yerdon, Jessica McMahon, Justin Martin and Keith Rodriguez. Bottom row, Lindsey Manchester, Moussa Diop, Patricia Wilson, Rachel Durgan, Tanisha Hagans and Vernal Ransom.
Police have released the names and mugshots of suspects rounded up Wednesday morning as part of what officials have dubbed “Operation Drop.”
St. Lawrence County Sheriff Brooks Bigwarfe said the interstate drug ring, based in Jersey City, N.J. is connected to a "Blood-affiliated street gang known as Str8 Drop."
He said at 5 a.m. today, Wednesday, May 6, local, state and federal officers raided addresses in Ogdensburg, Potsdam, Massena, Gouverneur and Watertown after months of covert surveillance.
That led to charges against eight St. Lawrence County residents, nine New Jersey residents, and one person from Jefferson County. Police seized six pounds and 12 ounces of cocaine, 279 grams of heroin, 2,737 bags of heroin packaged for sale and $78,000 U.S. currency. Bigwarfe said the total estimated street value of the drugs is around $396,000. See story for more details on the bust.
Addresses raided included 21 Depot St. and 16 Debra Drive in Potsdam; 29 Elm St. and 14 Church St. in Massena; 43 Wall St., Gouverneur; 800 New York Ave. and 205 Elizabeth St., Ogdensburg; and 1138 Boyd St., Watertown.
The suspects include:
Aquarra Weegar, 24, of Massena, charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class B felony
Devin Weller, 36, of Potsdam, first-degree criminal nuisance
Lindsey Manchester, 28, of Potsdam, first-degree criminal nuisance
Jerry Yerdon, 33, of Ogdensburg, first-degree criminal nuisance
Bridget Spriggs, 37, of Ogdensburg, first-degree criminal nuisance
Gerald Castle Jr., 32, of Massena, first-degree criminal nuisance
Jessica McMahon, 39, of Massena, first-degree criminal nuisance
Rachel Durgan, 29 of Ogdensburg, first-degree criminal nuisance
James Pribble, 32, of Ogdensburg, first-degree criminal nuisance
Keith Rodriguez, 42, of Jersey City, N.J. operating as a major trafficker, a class A-1 felony
Amir Hodges, 36, of, Jersey City, N.J., operating as a major trafficker
Allen Pinkney, 40, if, Jersey City, N.J., operating as a major trafficker and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
Vernal Ransom, 50, of Jersey City, N.J., operating as a major trafficker and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
Moussa Diop, 20, of Jersey City, N.J., operating as a major trafficker
Arthur Agaman, 24, of Jersey City, N.J., operating as a major trafficker and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
Justin Martin, 32, of Jersey City, N.J., operating as a major trafficker and two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
Tanisha C. Hagans, 30, of Jersey City, N.J., two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
Patricia S. Wilson, 27, of Jersey City, N.J., two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance
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