LawFuel.com – Legal Newswire Service –
LEV L. DASSIN, the Acting United States Attorney for
the Southern District of New York, JOSEPH M. DEMAREST, JR., the
Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and PETER J. SMITH, the
Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Department
of Homeland Security’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
(“ICE”), announced the filing yesterday of an Indictment charging
HUSNAIN RAZA HUSSAIN, a/k/a “Raza Hussain,” a/k/a “Qazi,” a/k/a
“Quazi,” SHAKESQUE D. SINGLETARY, a/k/a “Shah,” GUSTAVO CANALES,
a/k/a “Gustav,” a/k/a “Goose,” RAYMOND ESPINAL, ALEX SANCHEZ,
ELIGIO MARQUEZ, a/k/a “Eli,” a/k/a “E,” AHMED SOHAIL, and ADNAN
SHAH with various narcotics and firearms trafficking charges. In
addition, HUSSAIN is also charged with attempting to travel to
the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in order to engage in a sexual
act with a person under eighteen years of age.
All the defendants except MARQUEZ were arrested on May
18, 2009, pursuant to criminal Complaints filed in Manhattan
federal court; MARQUEZ was arrested on May 20. HUSSAIN, CANALES
and MARQUEZ were ordered detained pending trial; the remaining
defendants were released on bail. The defendants are expected to
be arraigned on the Indictment in Manhattan federal court by
United States District Judge PAUL A. CROTTY on July 23, 2009, at
2 p.m.
-2-
The Indictment filed today charges HUSSAIN, 37, of
Yonkers, New York, SINGLETARY, 31, of Manhattan, New York,
CANALES, 31, of Bronx, New York, ESPINAL, 31, of Bronx, New York,
SANCHEZ, 36, of Yonkers, New York, MARQUEZ, 27, of Hillside, New
Jersey, SOHAIL, 43, of Queens, New York, and SHAH, 37, of East
Haven, Connecticut, with the following offenses, carrying the
following potential penalties:
Count Charge Defendants Maximum Penalty
1 Conspiracy to distribute
heroin
HUSSAIN,
SINGLETARY
40 years in
prison
2 Conspiracy to distribute
heroin and cocaine
HUSSAIN,
CANALES,
ESPINAL,
SANCHEZ,
MARQUEZ,
SOHAIL
Life in prison
3 Conspiracy to import heroin HUSSAIN,
SOHAIL
Life in prison
4 Attempted heroin
distribution
MARQUEZ 40 years in
prison
5 Conspiracy to illegally
transfer firearm
HUSSAIN,
SHAH
Five years in
prison
6 Attempt to travel
internationally to engage
in illicit sexual conduct
with a minor
HUSSAIN 30 years in
prison
Mr. DASSIN praised the investigative work of the FBI
and ICE.
Assistant United States Attorneys JASON B. SMITH and
NICHOLAS J. LEWIN are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaints and Indictment
are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent
unless and until proven guilty.
09-187 ###
