U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton announced that 12 men have been arrested for selling drugs at a NYCHA development in East Harlem — the latest example of one of the most prestigious U.S. attorney's offices in the country targeting street-level drug dealers.
Clayton said Wednesday the arrests at the James Weldon Johnson Houses are part of a broader federal effort to crack down on violent crime in public housing — and he made a pointed critique of New York's criminal justice system.
“One of the greatest drivers of public safety is the continuous custody of a criminal with federal charges,” Clayton said. “If we are able to prove those charges, we have not only continuous custody, but we have them off the streets longer.”
The remark was a shot at New York's bail laws which were designed to reduce the number of low-level offenders sitting in jail for months before their trials, because they can't afford bail. Critics on the right and the left say the reforms have led to criminals acting with impunity, despite overall drops in crime statistics over recent years. Using federal drug laws, the FBI also busted drug dealers in Washington Square Park in late October.
The defendants are charged with conspiring to distribute large quantities of crack cocaine, fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, along with firearms offenses. If convicted on the top counts, they face mandatory minimum sentences of at least 15 years in federal prison.
According to court filings, NYPD undercover officers made about 45 recorded drug buys from the defendants between March 2022 and December 2025 — most of them inside the development’s lobbies and stairwells. Prosecutors said some sales happened in front of children walking to school or elderly residents trying to navigate the buildings.
Court documents detail how multiple defendants allegedly continued selling drugs while under state supervision:
- Brian Gonzalez was arrested on narcotics charges in April 2025 and released pending trial — then allegedly made sales to undercover officers in May and September.
- Brian Nin allegedly made 19 drug sales while serving a 16-year state parole term, including approximately 300 grams of crack cocaine.
- Percy Carrion, who was released to home incarceration after a federal arrest in October, allegedly sold crack at a playground while under that supervision.
“Our experience and our common sense tell us not even buckets of money can improve the quality of life if you must walk through an open-air drug market on your way to and from work or on your way to and from school,” Clayton said.
Authorities said they seized six firearms, ammunition and a significant quantity of narcotics during Wednesday’s operation.
The arrests were part of Operation Coast to Coast, a nationwide FBI initiative focused on reducing violent crime in cooperation with local police.
“It’s a monthlong surge by the FBI to fight violent crime and ensure a safe holiday season for everyone,” said Jose Perez, chief of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Section.
Clayton signaled that more federal enforcement is likely in and around public housing, parks and schools.
A NYCHA spokesperson said the agency "relies on and works in close coordination with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to address crime and residents' safety concerns."
Attorney information for the defendants was not immediately available.
