New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the take down of a major heroin drug trafficking ring yesterday with the arrests of 31 people that are now facing a total of 217 charges. Under the direction of Arthur “Wise” Erskine, the group is accused of distributing massive quantities of heroin from New York City throughout the Finger Lakes Region, including Tioga and Tompkins County. The arrests and charges come after a five-month investigation by local law enforcement agencies, New York State Police, and the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force. The majority of the 31 people arrested are from Tompkins County, but the list includes eight from Tioga County. Those charged include:
- Joseph Besemer, 34 years old, of Newfield, NY
- Shaylee Bisgrove, 24 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Destiny Boda, 25 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Lynn Boda, 50 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Myia Boda, 31 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Corey Bond, 31 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Stormie Coyne, 39 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Katie Crapo, 28 years old, of Odessa, NY
- Michael Dawson, 26 years old, of Willseyville, NY
- Arthur Erskine, 40 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Erica Farrell, 32 years old, of Candor, NY
- Dioremi Feliz, 36 years old, of New York, New York
- Brittany Ford, 28 years old, of Bronx, NY
- Shanakia Gray, 34 years old, of Newfield, NY
- Zachary Kelly, 32 years old, of Bronx, NY
- Yvette King, 40 years old, of Lansing, NY
- Zavierus King, 22 years old, of Lansing, NY
- Johnny Lee, 37 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Angelo LeGrande, 42 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Jerica Luoma, 28 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Eric MacDonald, 32 years old, of Candor, NY
- Dustin Myers, 29 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Jose Polanco, 38 years old, of New York, NY
- Devon Rose, 19 years old, of Willseyville, NY
- Branden Schmeltz, 22 years old, of Spencer, NY
- Nicole Spence, 43 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Aylah Stewart-Boda, 25 years old, of Ithaca, NY
- Brandon Stone, 26 years old, of Candor, NY
- Savanna Washington, 26 years old, of Candor, NY
- Justin Westbrook, 25 years old, of Spencer, NY
- Joseph White, 26 years old, of Cortland, NY
