Authorities Charge 21, Seize Drugs & Guns

An agent with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. Credit: PA Internet News Service

A multi-agency drug investigation culminating in a series of raids this week has led to charges against 21 people and the dismantling of what authorities described as a “high-level cocaine and crack cocaine trafficking organization” operating in the region.

Investigators executed several search warrants on phones, homes and vehicles, leading to the arrest of 16 people Thursday at various locations.

The operation, a collaboration between local, state and federal agencies, focused on an organization known as “Fifth and Cornwall.”

According to law enforcement, the group operated mostly in North Philadelphia and used a home in Bristol Township’s Levittown section before distributing narcotics to stash sites in Philadelphia.

One site searched was in the Indian Creek neighborhood in Levittown, authorities said.

The Bucks County South Emergency Response Team, which is made up of SWAT officers from multiple municipalities, was part of the operation, Bristol Township Chief of Police C.J. Winik said.

During the raids, investigators seized 12 kilograms of cocaine, 50 pounds of marijuana and 19 firearms, some of which were allegedly possessed illegally due to prior felony convictions, Bristol Township police reported.

Authorities said they also confiscated approximately $275,000 in cash, believed to be proceeds from criminal activity.

“This highly-profitable criminal organization operated not unlike a factory assembly line with each member having their designated roles,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “This illegal trade was an all-hours operation with dealers on the street every day and night.”

“This week, thanks to the collaborative efforts of law enforcement, a criminal enterprise has been taken down,” Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said.

“This case underscores the power of collaboration and the dedication demonstrated by the officers and investigators ” said Winik.

The people arrested were preliminarily arraigned, with bail set between $1 million and $5 million.

“This is a case study in how law enforcement collaboration should work,” said Philadelphia Police Department Deputy Commissioner James Kelly.

Jimmie Torres, the alleged leader of the organization, and his son, Matthew Torres, who oversaw the enterprise when his father was at his home in Puerto Rico, were among those charged.

In addition to the Torreses, the people charged include Johnny Bartolomey, Tomas Montanez, Nestor Diaz, Hector Diaz, Rolando Ortiz, Angel Pizarro, Steven Andino, Ruth Andino, Jose Ramos, Iris Inostroza-Torres, Kevin Cade, Miguel Ramirez, Hector Tanon, Raphael Castro and Joshua DeJesus.

Four people charged in the case — Miguel Nazario, Myron Booker, Javier Rodriguez and John Cade — have not yet been taken into custody, authorities said.

Agencies assisting in the investigation, searches, and arrests included the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, Philadelphia Police Department, Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennsylvania State Police, Bensalem Police Department, and Bristol Township Police Department. Liberty Mid-Atlantic HIDTA, and law enforcement partners in New Jersey.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.