At least 43 overdose cases, seven of them fatal, are linked to two separate patterns of robberies at nightclubs in and around Manhattan dating back to September 2021.
After several months of investigation, recently the separate deaths of Julio Ramírez (25) and John Umberger (33) that occurred in mid-2022 were declared homicides. Last week six gang members were indicted by a grand jury, some for the deaths and others for identity theft, grand theft and conspiracy. But none have been arrested so far, he said. ABC News.
A spokesman for the Medical Examiner said both were victims of homicides caused by “drug-facilitated robberies” and died shortly after overdosing at the bars they visited in Midtown West from “acute intoxication” of a mixture of fentanyl, cocaine, ethanol and other narcotics.
Thieves withdrew money from the accounts of both victims, in addition to stealing their cell phones. One of the suspects, Andre Butts (28), had been charged last June for using Ramirez’s credit card to buy two pairs of Nike shoes for $544.38 just hours after his death.
Another grand jury is also formed to investigate the death of Kathryn Marie Gallagher (35) a fashion designer discovered in her Lower East Side home last July. Her death was ruled a homicide last week.
In total, the NYPD linked 17 drug-assisted robberies to the Umberger/Ramirez employer between 9/19/2021 and 8/28/2022. In this mode, drunken victims are offered contaminated narcotics or marijuana at a bar. Once the drugs take effect, their cell phones are stolen and large amounts of money are transferred from the victims’ bank accounts.
Another 26 robberies are linked to a similar pattern, but separated between 3/18/2022 and 12/8/2022. This is a more violent modality with suspects offering tainted drugs to victims in clubs and then the robberies are street muggings outside bars to obtain jewelry and cash. They also take away their cell phones to make transfers.
Suspects frequently unlock victims’ phones using facial recognition and attempt to drain their bank accounts and credit cards, spending as much money as possible before victims regain consciousness and change passwords.
“It is a crime that is lucrative, it has very few legal consequences,” denounced Umberger’s mother, Linda Clary. “It’s the perfect crime and New York created the perfect environment for this crime to flourish and that’s going to change,” because she doesn’t want her son’s death to be in vain.
Also this month, Michelle Edoo (29), one of the five workers who overdosed on fentanyl at a luxury shopping center in New Jersey, died.
In a similar case, it was announced this week that nine Hispanics, four of them family members, were arrested on suspicion of running a fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking ring that included manufacturing and selling pills.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be used to mix drugs like cocaine or heroin to produce a stronger high.
In January, local authorities announced that during 2022 in NYC there was a record seizure of fentanyl pills equivalent to 72 million fatal doses. “Fentanyl saturates New York City’s supply of illegal drugs and is a factor in approximately 80% of overdose deaths. Even the casual or occasional use of illegal drugs could be fatal, and with an explosion of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, a single tablet purchased online or on social media could be deadly,” said special prosecutor for narcotics Bridget G. Brennan, in a statement.
“Fentanyl is the most significant threat to our public health and public safety,” DEA Special Agent Frank Tarentino said then. “It’s poison… This is just the tip of the iceberg. Every day we have more seizures. In New York City there is a drug overdose every three hours. At the national level it is every five minutes, 295 a day”.
In 2022, New York City authorities launched a controversial campaign on public transportation with “advice” to use fentanyl “safely”, which some described as counterproductive and irresponsible.
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- DEA alerts for increased trafficking of fentanyl with xylazine in the US
- DEA: 20% of the country’s fentanyl is in the already violent state of New York; Traffickers use social networks and hidden compartments in cars to introduce drugs and weapons
- Call 1.888.NYCWELL (1.888.692.9355).
- Text “WELL” to 65173.
- Review information at https://nycwell.cityofnewyork.us/es/