Four people were arrested — including a former NYPD police officer — and charged in a conspiracy to funnel narcotics from Upper Manhattan onto the streets of Staten Island, officials said Monday.
In addition to seizing large quantities of drugs following the six-month wiretap investigation, officers uncovered a small arsenal that included 13 unlicensed firearms from ex-cop Philip Pietrunti’s Staten Island home on Thursday, Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget Brennan said.
“This operation shut down a dangerous drug pipeline spanning from Upper Manhattan to Staten Island,” Brennan said. “Removing deadly narcotics, the equipment used to produce it, and more than a dozen illegal firearms makes our communities safer today.”
Prosecutors named Manhattan resident Shanta Sawyer, 44, as the ringleader of the alleged drug peddling conspiracy, alleging he delivered narcotics to locations in Staten Island multiple times per week.
Assisting Sawyer was Michael Giordano, 35, who offered his Staten Island home as a stash house, and Sophia Abinacer, 37, who peddled the drugs, according to prosecutors. Pietrunti is also accused of buying narcotics from Sawyer with the intent to resell them.
All four suspects were rounded up amid a series of raids early Thursday morning, which targeted Sawyer and Abinacer’s apartment on W. 180th St. in Washington Heights, in addition Giordano’s home on Miles Ave. in Great Kills and Pietrunti’s residence on Oakdale St. in Eltingville, both of which are in Staten Island.
At Sawyer and Abinacer’s apartment, officers recovered large quantities of fentanyl, crack-cocaine and heroin from inside a backpack stashed in their kitchen and from a safe tucked into a bedroom closet. A pill pressing machine was also found in the bedroom of the apartment, where two young children were present, officials said.
Police seized crack-cocaine and roughly 40 glassine envelopes containing heroin kept in a lockbox in Giordano’s bedroom, along with scales and drug packaging paraphernalia, prosecutors said.
Among the illegal weapons discovered at Pietrunti’s apartment included multiple AR-style rifles, in addition to ammunition for each firearm, officials said.
During the investigation, police intercepted phone conversations between Sawyer and Pietrunti discussing the sale of drugs, including a planned meetup at a Wendy’s to purchase counterfeit Xanax.
“I don’t know what’s in it,” Sawyer allegedly told Pietrunti.
Sawyer, Abinacer and Giordano were charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and conspiracy. Pietrunti was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and conspiracy.
All four suspects appeared Friday in Manhattan Criminal Court. Bail for Sawyer was set at $250,000 cash or bond, and $100,000 cash or bond for Pietrunti. Abinacer and Giordano were released without being required to post bail.