14 Charged In Binghamton Drug Trafficking Case

Federal law enforcement officials say 14 people have been charged in an investigation into drug trafficking in the Binghamton area.

Police executed search warrants at nine locations early this morning.

One of the sites was the 17 East bar at 348 Clinton Street in Binghamton's First Ward.

Authorities say the nightclub was frequented by members of the Bloods Street Gang.

According to a federal felony complaint, gang members began a drug distribution operation in the region in September 2009.

The operation is said to have been responsible for dealing "large quantities" of cocaine, heroin and marijuana in the Binghamton area.

Gang members allegedly used apartments and rental vehicles to package, store and transport drugs.

Members also are accused of assaults and shootings as part of the purported drug trafficking conspiracy.

Several of the suspects appeared in Binghamton Federal Court this afternoon. They were shackled as they were led from the building into vans from Chenango County and Delaware County sheriff's departments.

The federal felony complaint also charges as follows as to each defendant:
1. DEREK CARR a/k/a “Jinx”, 29 years old, is affiliated to the Bloods Street Gang and believed to a member of the MacBallers. DEREK CARR is a close, personal
associate of SAQUAN JOHNSON and who supplied SAQUAN JOHNSON with controlled substances including crack cocaine and heroin. DEREK CARR communicated with SAQUAN JOHNSON regarding the cooking, packaging, acquisition, and distribution of controlled substances including crack cocaine and heroin.
2. COURTNEY DOUGLAS a/k/a “Poppy”, 32 years old, is a member of the MacBallers who received supplies of crack cocaine and heroin from SAQUAN JOHNSON as well as crack cocaine from CHAD EDWARDS, JUAN PENA, and REGINALD SIMMONS, JR. and then distributed those controlled substances to drug customers. COURTNEY DOUGLAS communicated with other members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy including SAQUAN JOHNSON, CHAD EDWARDS, and JUAN PENA regarding the acquisition, distribution, and resale of controlled substances including crack cocaine and heroin.
3. LAMONT CLEMONS a/k/a “Stime”, 39 years old, is believed to be a family relative (cousin) of CALVIN JOHNSON and who transported supplies of controlled substances and distributed controlled substances on behalf of CALVIN JOHNSON. LAMONT CLEMONS also supplied SAQUAN JOHNSON with controlled substances including crack cocaine, heroin, powder cocaine, and marijuana. LAMONT CLEMONS communicated with SAQUAN JOHNSON regarding the acquisition, storage, transportation, distribution, and resale of controlled substances including crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, and marijuana.
4. CHAD EDWARDS a/k/a “Chaddy O”, 31 years old, is a high ranking member of the MacBallers who was responsible for distributing large quantities of crack cocaine in Binghamton, New York. CHAD EDWARDS worked closely with JUAN PENA AND REGINALD SIMMONS, JR. to distribute controlled substances and shared the same cellular telephones with these individuals. CHAD EDWARDS communicated with other members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy including SAQUAN JOHNSON, JUAN PENA, REGINALD SIMMONS, JR., SHARELL HOLTON, and COURTNEY DOUGLAS regarding the acquisition, packaging, and distribution of controlled substances.
5. SHARELL HOLTON a/k/a “Rell”, 35 years old, is a known controlled substances distributor in Binghamton, New York who is believed to have been supplied by members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy including JOHN MELVILLE, CHAD EDWARDS, JUAN PENA, and REGINALD SIMMONS, JR. She allowed members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy, including JOHN MELVILLE and BRIAN WEST, to utilize her residence in Endicott, New York and distribute controlled substances from her residence. SHARELL HOLTON communicated with other known members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy including SAQUAN JOHNSON, CHAD EDWARDS, and JUAN PENA regarding the acquisition, storage, and distribution of controlled substances as well as the collection of drug proceeds.
6. LESLIE HUGHES a/k/a “Les”, 41 years old, is a Bloods Street Gang member and a known controlled substances distributor in Binghamton, New York who supplied SAQUAN JOHNSON with controlled substances including crack cocaine. LESLIE HUGHES worked for CALVIN JOHNSON and supplied SAQUAN JOHNSON with controlled substances to include crack cocaine. LESLIE HUGHES communicated with SAQUAN JOHNSON regarding the acquisition, cooking/mixing, packaging, and distribution of controlled substances, including crack cocaine, and the collection of drug proceeds.
7. CALVIN JOHNSON a/k/a “Cal”, 38 years old, is a known controlled substances distributor in Binghamton, New York who operated the nightclub, “17 East”, which was utilized and frequented by members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy. He also supplied SAQUAN JOHNSON, LAMONT CLEMONS, LESLIE HUGHES, and others with controlled substances including crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and marijuana. CALVIN JOHNSON communicated with SAQUAN JOHNSON regarding the acquisition, distribution, and storage of controlled substances including crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and marijuana, as well as the acquisition of a handgun/firearm.
8. SAQUAN JOHNSON a/k/a “Banga” a/k/a “Sa”, 23 years old, is a member of the MacBallers gang and is known as an enforcer/shooter who was responsible for the distribution of large amounts of crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, and marijuana to other members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy including GERALD NORFLEET and COURTNEY DOUGLAS. SAQUAN JOHNSON was supplied with controlled substances from CALVIN JOHNSON, LAMONT CLEMONS, DEREK CARR, CHAD EDWARDS, JUAN PENA, REGINALD SIMMONS, JR., and DAYNELL ROWLAND. SAQUAN JOHNSON also communicated with other members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy including DEREK CARR, COURTNEY DOUGLAS, LAMONT CLEMONS, CHAD EDWARDS, SHARELL HOLTON, LESLIE HUGHES, CALVIN JOHNSON, GERALD NORFLEET, JUAN PENA, DAYNELL ROWLAND, and REGINALD SIMMONS, JR. regarding the acquisition, distribution, transportation, and cooking/mixing of controlled substances including crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, as well as robberies, assaults, and firearms violations.
9. JOHN MELVILLE a/k/a “Flip” a/k/a “Fat Boy”, 29 years old, is a high ranking member of the MacBallers gang. JOHN MELVILLE was known to traffic large quantities of controlled substances including crack cocaine and powder cocaine into Binghamton, New York in order to distribute controlled substances and supply additional members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy including SHARELL HOLTON, CHAD EDWARDS, JUAN PENA, and REGINALD SIMMONS, JR.

10. GERALD NORFLEET a/k/a “G”, 55 years old, purchased controlled substances from SAQUAN JOHNSON and distributed controlled substances including crack cocaine. Additionally, he collected drug proceeds derived from controlled substance sales on behalf of SAQUAN JOHNSON AND LAMONT CLEMONS. GERALD NORFLEET also provided transportation for SAQUAN JOHNSON in order to facilitate drug transactions in furtherance of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy. GERALD NORFLEET communicated with SAQUAN JOHNSON regarding the acquisition, packaging, and distribution of controlled substances, and the collection of drug proceeds derived from the sales of controlled substance including crack cocaine.
11. JUAN PENA a/k/a “John John”, 30 years old, is a high ranking member of the MacBallers who was responsible for distributing large quantities of crack cocaine. At one time, JUAN PENA also paid CALVIN JOHNSON an amount of United States currency to control and operate various illegal gambling games at CALVIN JOHNSON’S nightclub, “17 East.” JUAN PENA also communicated with other members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy including SAQUAN JOHNSON, CHAD EDWARDS, REGINALD SIMMONS, JR., SHARELL HOLTON, COURTNEY DOUGLAS, and others regarding the acquisition and distribution of controlled substances.
12. DAYNELL ROWLAND a/k/a “Daylo”, 31 years old, is a suspected member of the MacBallers who resides in Syracuse, New York and was responsible for supplying SAQUAN JOHNSON and others with large amounts of controlled substances including marijuana and heroin. DAYNELL ROWLAND introduced SAQUAN JOHNSON to his (DAYNELL ROWLAND’S) heroin supplier residing in the New York City area so SAQUAN JOHNSON could obtain large quantities of heroin directly from this individual. DAYNELL ROWLAND also expressed a desire for SAQUAN JOHNSON to become his main heroin distributor in Binghamton, New York. DAYNELL ROWLAND communicated with SAQUAN JOHNSON regarding the acquisition, cooking, packaging, and distribution of controlled substances, and the collection of drug proceeds derived from the sales of controlled substances.
13. REGINALD SIMMONS, JR. a/k/a “Reg” a/k/a “Moe”, 30 years old, is a member of the MacBallers who was responsible for distributing large quantities of crack cocaine. REGINALD SIMMONS, JR. worked with JUAN PENA AND CHAD EDWARDS to distribute controlled substances and shared the same cellular telephones with them for the purpose of distribution of controlled substances. REGINALD SIMMONS, JR. also communicated with other additional members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy including SAQUAN JOHNSON, JUAN PENA, CHAD EDWARDS, SHARELL HOLTON, and COURTNEY DOUGLAS regarding the demand, acquisition, packaging, and distribution of controlled substances.
14. BRIAN WEST a/k/a “West”, 27 years old, is a member of the MacBallers who was responsible for distributing large quantities of crack cocaine. BRIAN WEST trafficked controlled substances into the Binghamton, New York area with JOHN MELVILLE and who supplied other members of the MacBallers’ drug trafficking conspiracy including SHARELL HOLTON, CHAD EDWARDS, JUAN PENA, and REGINALD SIMMONS, JR. BRIAN WEST also utilized SHARELL HOLTON’S residence to distribute controlled substances.