A huge drug trafficking network that distributed deadly substances across Central New York has been disrupted, resulting in the indictment of 17 individuals, including six local residents.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the charges, which are the result of an investigation by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force.
Related posts
The operation seized more than 23 pounds of fentanyl, nearly four pounds of cocaine, and more than 12 pounds of methamphetamine.
These drugs were worth more than $780,000.
The investigation, which lasted from September 2024 until May 2025, focused on Jaquan Jones, or “Flame.”
Jones is suspected of organizing the delivery of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine across the region.
He allegedly purchased drugs from Antonio Sanchez and others, then distributed them to a network of traffickers that included Joshua Stimpson and Autumn Schneider.
The drugs were subsequently distributed throughout a broad network of dealers.
“These dealers included Etiem Berrios, Ronnie Evanciew, Tyler Forshee, Joshua Goyette, Gary Jordan, Cody Lane, Nicole Lighthall, Autumn Schneider, Heather Sharpsteen, Joshua Stimpson, Zachary Thornhill, and Amanda Valenti,” according to the attorney general’s office.
The defendants used codewords to allude to the substances they sold.
“‘Soft’ referred to cocaine, ‘fet’ or ‘fetty’ referred to fentanyl, and ‘ice’ referred to methamphetamine,” according to the AG’s office.
The investigation also revealed illicit weaponry and large sums of money linked to the narcotics businesses.
The indictment contains multiple counts of unlawful sale and possession of controlled narcotics, as well as conspiracy accusations.
The people charged are:
- Etiem M. Berrios, 45 years old, of Syracuse
- Chase Cahoon, 39 years old, of Rome
- Cory M. Ching, 32 years old, of Poland
- Ronnie R. Evanciew, 29 years old, of Taberg
- Tyler J. Forshee, 30 years old, of Cortland
- Joshua B. Goyette, 47 years old, of Freeville
- Jaquan T. Jones, a/k/a “Flame”, 31 years old, of Syracuse
- Gary M. Jordan, 53 years old, of Rome
- Cody E. Lane, 29 years old, of Rome
- Nicole E. Lighthall, 29 years old, of Forestport
- Alexander Medina, 24 years old, of Syracuse
- Antonio Sanchez, 37 years old, of New Rochelle
- Autumn R. Schneider, 28 years old, of Bridgeport
- Heather R. Sharpsteen, 39 years old, of Groton
- Joshua J. Stimpson, 29 years old, of Bridgeport
- Zachary M. Thornhill, 36 years old, of Liverpool
- Amanda L. Valenti, 41 years old, of Genoa
Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol said, “As a result of everyone’s work, 17 individuals involved in a major cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine trafficking ring that has been operating in the Central New York area are now off the streets and this criminal organization has been dismantled.”
The AG’s office added that “23 pounds of fentanyl is enough to kill one New Yorker every six seconds for an entire year.”
