Violent “Luchie” NY Drug Trafficker GUilty of Murder-for-Hire

murder for hire

Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York,
announced that ROGER KEY, a/k/a “Luchie,” a violent and large-scale drug trafficker who
operated in Manhattan and the Bronx, New York, was found guilty yesterday in Manhattan
federal court of two murder-for-hire conspiracies, attempted murder, and narcotics and firearms
offenses. KEY was convicted following a three-week jury trial before U.S. District Judge
Sidney H. Stein.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “With this verdict, the jury has done a great
service to the citizens of New York City, convicting Roger Key of numerous violent offenses,
including murder-for-hire, and orchestrating a sprawling drug trafficking network. I want to
again thank New York County District Attorney, Cyrus Vance and his office, who began the
investigation into this alleged narcotics crew and shared the fruits of their investigation with our
Office, enabling us to build this case and bring this defendant to justice.”
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial:
From 2009 through September 2012, KEY was one of the most significant narcotics
distributors operating in New York City. KEY supplied powder cocaine and crack cocaine to
various drug organizations operating in Manhattan and the Bronx. KEY also used, carried, and
possessed firearms during the narcotics conspiracy.
In September 2010, KEY conspired to commit the murder-for-hire of Terry Harrison,
who was shot and killed on September 10, 2010, at 681 Courtlandt Avenue in the Bronx. KEY
paid another co-conspirator for committing the murder of Harrison, who was the leader of a rival
drug-trafficking crew with whom KEY and his co-conspirators were engaged in a violent
conflict over drug-trafficking territory in the Bronx.
From October 2011 through December 2011, KEY conspired to commit the murder-forhire,
and aided and abetted the attempted murder-for-hire of Matthew Allen on November 16,
2011, which resulted in the non-fatal shooting of another victim, at 302 Brooklyn Avenue,
Brooklyn, New York.
* * *
KEY was convicted of narcotics conspiracy, conspiracy to commit the murder-for-hire of
Matthew Allen, the attempted murder-for-hire of Matthew Allen, conspiracy to commit the
murder-for-hire of Terry Harrison, and firearms possession and use in connection with both the
narcotics conspiracy and the Matthew Allen murder plot. KEY was acquitted of the murder-forhire of Terry Harrison, murder in connection with a drug crime, and a firearms possession charge in connection with that murder.
KEY faces two mandatory sentences of life in prison without the possibility of parole,
plus a mandatory consecutive term of 30 years in prison, and he will be sentenced by Judge Stein
on August 19, 2014. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress
and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be
determined by the judge.
KEY is the last of 18 defendants originally charged in this case to be convicted in
proceedings before Judge Stein. KEY is also the last of a total of four individuals who have been
convicted of offenses relating to the conspiracy to commit the murder-for-hire and the attempted
murder-for-hire of Matthew Allen.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of the Investigation,
Westchester County Violent Crimes Task Force, and the New York City Police Department,
including the 40th Precinct Detective Squad and the Manhattan North Narcotics Major Case
Unit, who conducted the investigation of the case. Mr. Bharara also thanked the New York
County District Attorney’s Office, who provided critical assistance in the investigation and
prosecution of the case.
This case is being overseen by the Office’s Violent Crimes Unit. Assistant United States
Attorneys Santosh Aravind, Abigail S. Kurland, and Adam Fee are in charge of the prosecution.
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