The US Department of Justice sentenced Jesus Cabrera, also known as “Gee,” to 30 years in jail for leading a narcotics operation that flooded the Bronx with deadly fentanyl, leading to at least eight overdose deaths. According to the US Department of Justice, Cabrera admitted to his role in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue, as well as a related firearms charge, in his guilty plea.
“Jesus Cabrera led a drug trafficking organization that sold enormous amounts of deadly fentanyl in New York City, which led to the deaths of at least eight victims in the Bronx in 2021,” according to acting U.S. Attorney Edward Y. Kim. This statement follows the conviction and imprisonment of Cabrera and his co-conspirators in an effort to stem the flood of opiate-related deaths and the ongoing addiction issue, as described by the US Department of Justice. Cabrera’s contempt for the lives affected by the DTO’s drug activity was clear when he dismissed concerns about overdoses with the words, “Nah man, people hating, they don’t want us making money,” according to court files and public records.
The drug trafficking group, which operated from 2019 to February 2022, concentrated its operations on a block on 142nd Street between Brook Avenue and St. Ann’s Avenue, which became known as the “Set.” Court documents explain how the DTO used a hierarchy of street-level sellers, baggers, and lookouts. Cabrera’s subordinate, Michael Amaya, or “Miz,” oversaw these day-to-day operations. The prosecution revealed how the organization gained hundreds of thousands of dollars by distributing five to six kilograms of fentanyl per month in late 2021. The DTO had a signature style, using distinguishing “stamps,” like the “Supreme” and “Off White” emblems on their fentanyl glassines, as twisted branding to entice buyers.
Cabrera’s sentencing, which includes five years of supervised release following his jail term, is the result of investigations by the NYPD, DEA, and other law enforcement agencies praised by Mr. Kim for their “tireless” efforts. Cabrera’s leadership led to the lengthy prison terms of his co-defendants: Amaya received 16 years, armed lookout Willie Harris received 12 years, and Frankie Capellan and Jose Figueroa each received 10 years.
As we consider the implications of this DTO, the case handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. King, Kaylan E. Lasky, and David J. Robles, serves as a harsh reminder of the ongoing fight against drug addiction and distribution in our communities. Such operations have far-reaching consequences, affecting the lives of countless individuals and families caught up in the fentanyl pandemic.
