American agents bust large scale Jamaican based drug trafficking operation

10 defendants indicted of which at least two are Jamaican

Durrant Pate/Contributor

American law enforcement agents have busted a Jamaican-based drug trafficking operation that reached into Nassau County, Long Island, New York.

Queens District Attorney, Melinda Katz announced that 10 individuals have been indicted following a long-term investigation into the drug trafficking operation. At least two of them, 49-year-old Willis “June” Bell and 52-year-old Rudolph Tindal, 52 are Jamaican.

The other defendants, who are all from the state of New York are Castell Brown, 54, of Roosevelt; Emmanuel “Manny” Pope, 42, of Hollis; Kevin Gaines, 63, of St. Albans; Leo Smith, 57, of South Ozone Park; Fred Fulton, 63, of Laurelton; Kamal Lambus, 43, of Hempstead; Jean-Pierre Martell, 44, of Woodbridge, Virginia and Winston Bell.

The District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD’s Narcotics Borough Queens South began their investigation in November 2022 into drug trafficking based in Jamaica. The alleged traffickers operated from several locations, including the Spizot, an unlicensed social club at 105-13 177th Street in New York.

69-count indictment 

The defendants were variously charged in a 69-count indictment with conspiracy, criminal sale of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a controlled substance and other crimes. They allegedly sold cocaine, heroin and fentanyl at a Jamaica social club and other locations.

The investigation, called “Operation Bell Tower,” included a series of undercover drug buys. The investigation resulted in the seizure of 10 kilos of cocaine with a street value of more than US $250,000. The defendants allegedly sold cocaine, heroin, heroin that was sometimes mixed with fentanyl or other substances, and the generic version of Xanax.

The organisation had multiple layers, with defendant Rudolph Tindal allegedly storing the drugs in his Jamaica home and defendant Emmanuel Pope allegedly working as a street-level dealer. Defendant, Fred Fulton was a supplier who allegedly obtained cocaine from defendant, Castell Brown of Roosevelt in Nassau County. 

Defendant Kevin Gaines allegedly supplied defendant William Bell with heroin and arranged cocaine sales. Defendant, Leo Smith allegedly sold large quantities of heroin and cocaine to an undercover officer, starting with 20 glassine envelopes purported to contain heroin for US$120 and then increasing to 150 grams of heroin for US$6,750. 

Laboratory tests showed that the heroin was mixed with fentanyl and other substances. Undercover officers made multiple buys of drugs from January 2025 through April. Court-authorised search warrants executed at the defendants’ homes resulted in the seizure of:

• 10 kilos of cocaine and a loaded 9 mm Ruger pistol as well as more than $15,000 in cash at a house in Roosevelt
• Over 500 grams of fentanyl in a Queens home
• Drug paraphernalia, including a press, scales and empty plastic bags

The investigation was conducted by Detective Daniel Ludemann under the supervision of Sergeant Mark Lewis and Lieutenant Steven Franzel.

Undercover agents commended

Commenting on the arrests, District Attorney Katz remarked, “We are committed to ending the scourge of overdoses by targeting those who sell deadly drugs on our streets. As alleged, these defendants trafficked in cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and other drugs. One defendant was charged with operating as a major trafficker and faces up to life in prison if convicted. I thank members of my Strategic Investigations Bureau and the NYPD for their work on this case. I also extend my gratitude to the undercover officers who risked their safety to gather critical evidence.”

Defendant Jean-Pierre Martell was arraigned on Thursday before Queens Supreme Court Justice Gary Miret. Three defendants were arraigned on June 15, and five were arraigned on June 17 before Justice Miret. One defendant will be arraigned at a later date. 

Assistant District Attorney, Sean Murphy of the District Attorney’s Strategic Investigations Bureau, is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys, Tara A. DiGregorio, Bureau Chief, Rachel Stein; Deputy Chief, Kieran Linehan, Section Chief of the Major Narcotics Unit, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for the Investigations Division, Joseph T. Conley III.

Willis “June” Bell, 49, of Jamaica, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy in the fourth degree; two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree; and three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. He was ordered to return to court on July 10. If convicted, Bell faces up to nine years in prison.

Castell Brown, 54, of Roosevelt, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy in the fourth and second degrees; criminal sale of a controlled substance in the first degree; operating as a major trafficker; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree; criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree; two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree; aggravated criminal possession of a weapon; criminal possession of a firearm; and criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree. He was ordered to return to court July 10.  If convicted, Brown faces up to life in prison.

Kevin Gaines, 63, of St. Albans, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy in the fourth degree; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree; and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. He was ordered to return to court July 10. If convicted, Gaines faces up to 20 years in prison.

Rudolph Tindal, 52, of Jamaica, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy in the fourth degree; three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree; and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. He was ordered to return to court July 10. If convicted, Tindal faces up to nine years in prison.

Emmanuel “Manny” Pope, 42, of Hollis, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy in the fourth degree and five counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. He was ordered to return to court July 10. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Leo Smith, 57, of South Ozone Park, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy in the fourth degree; 13 counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the first degree; nine counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the second degree; 10 counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree; one count of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the fifth degree; three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree; two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree; three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree; and two counts of criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree. He was ordered to return to court on July 10. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

Fred Fulton, 63, of Laurelton, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy in the fourth and second degrees, and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the first degree. He was ordered to return to court July 10. If convicted, Fulton faces up to 20 years in prison.

Kamal Lambus, 43, of Hempstead, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy in the fourth degree and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the second degree. He was ordered to return to court on July 10. If convicted, Lambus faces up to 14 years in prison.

Jean-Pierre Martell, 44, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with conspiracy in the second degree; criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree; and failing to make a lawful U-turn. He was ordered to return to court on July 10. If convicted, Martell faces up to 20 years in prison.

Winston Bell. No details were provided on the allegations against this defendant.