Attorney general says dozens indicted in five-county drug network

An Onondaga County grand jury has indicted 65 people in connection with a Central New York drug network that operated in five counties, including Oneida County, state officials said.

State Attorney General Letitia James announced the indictments during a press conference late Thursday.

The 15-month investigation dubbed “Operation Central City” targeted drug dealers who distributed heroin, fentanyl and cocaine in Jefferson, Oneida, Onondaga, Oswego and St. Lawrence counties, according to the attorney general’s announcement.

James said investigators used wiretaps and covert surveillance to catch the accused.

Among the participating agencies in the multi-department investigation included: the Utica Police Department, the New York State Police, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations bureau, the Oneida County Drug Task Force and the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office.

During the arrests, police recovered about 4,700 bags of prepackaged heroin and fentanyl with a street value of about $140,000; nearly two kilograms of cocaine with a street value of about $200,000 and more than $75,000.

All 65 defendants were charged with second-degree conspiracy, while other charged, including criminal sale and possession of controlled substances vary by defendant, the attorney general added.

The defendants — who were listed with Onondaga, St. Lawrence and Jefferson county addresses, face a minimum sentence 1 to 3 years and a maximum sentence of 8 to 25 years in state prison, James said.