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Mike's Candyshop Drug Courier Jeffrey Urena Gets 40 Months Joined After Death of Kroll

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN

SDNY COURTHOUSE, Oct 6 – Jeffrey Urena pleaded guilty to being a part of the Mike's Candy Store drug trafficking organization from April 2019 until he was arrested in August 2019. On October 6, 2021 he was sentenced. Inner City Press went to 40 Foley Square and covered it.


U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York Judge Katherine Polk Failla conducted the sentencing. In the gallery with Inner City Press were more than a half dozen family members and supporters.

Judge Failla chastized Urena's counsel for a since withdrawn sentencing submission that, she said, attempted to walk away from the plea agreement. (It is unclear if that submission is in the docket - while there was a statement that it was not considered, it was discussed and so we'd say, is a judicial document.)

 Judge Failla said she was impressed with Urena's work while out on bond, as a handyman in Manhattan. She sentenced him to 40 months, followed by three years of supervised release.

(Meanwhile the AUSA had a bond hearing across the hall before Judge Edgardo Ramos just as the sentencing concluded).

On December 2, 2020 Judge Failla held a lengthy bond hearing on and with co-defendant Luis Meson. On December 7, "proceedings held before Judge Katherine Polk Failla:Motion For Temporary Pretrial Release on disposition sheet as to Luis Meson held on 12/7/2020. AUSA Nicholas Chiuchiolo present. Defendant's Counsel Lorraine Gauli-Rufo present. $150,000.00 PRB, 4 FRP, Travel restricted to SDNY/EDNY, Surrender travel documents (& No new applications), Pretrial supervision as directed by pretrial services, Drug testing/treatment as directed by PTS, Mental health evaluation/treatment as directed by PTS, Home incarceration, GPS, Deft not to possess firearm/destructive device/other weapon, Deft to be detained until all conditions are met. Defendant to live with one of the co-signers, [Name not published by Inner City Press, voluntarily] in Queens, NY, or with another co-signer, so long as that co-signer's living quarters are approved by Pretrial Services. Defendant is not to communicate with witnesses and/or co-defendants outside of the presence of counsel. Deft is to self-install GPS monitoring at the direction of Pretrial Services. (jw)."

  Now the September 7, 2021 sentencing, resulting in 108 months of incarceration, live tweeted here:

Now sentencing of "Mike's Candyshop" drug dealer Luis Meson; 2018 death of Colin Kroll, the co-founder of the now-dead video-hosting service Vine is cited. Meson is a/k/a Sito. US wants 135 to 168 months.

Judge Failla: How likely is deportation? Will Meson be contesting it? Defense: We've looked into it, it appears it is most likely he will be deported. He has been in this country for 26 years. His mother is here. His daughter is here.

Judge Failla: Paragraph 94 of the Pre-Sentencing Report, on his part ownership of an ale house in Brooklyn. He invested $50,000 in the ale house. How did he have that money? Defense: That's an error. The correct sum was $15,000 and he was paying from salary AUSA

Nicholas Chiuchiolo: Mike's Candyshop was selling 7 nights a week, heroin, fentanyl and cocaine. Mr. Meson would make the deliveries on the doorstep, three to four times a week. He is not being held for the overdose death - but it could have been anyone

 Defense: Mr. Meson had nothing to do with the gun. In 2019 Mr. Meson had moved away from the crime and tried to open a bar. He heard after the fact about the death. Judge Failla: He didn't think it was linked to the drugs? Defense: He heard rumors.

 Defense: He only sold drugs two days a week. He was released on bail by your Honor, we've very grateful for that. He has a job. He knows he did something wrong. He has been a productive member of society. It was a mistake.

 Meson: I've done damage to my family. I apologize for my actions. Judge Failla: I saw the AUSAs talking - anything you want to say?

AUSA: After he was arrested, he had contraband phone in his cell. What he was doing with it makes it no less of a crime.

Judge Failla: I'm going to step off the bench for five minutes or so. 

 Judge Failla is back and says: the Guideline is 135 to 168 months, with a 60 month minimum. I've been thinking about the request I think about all of Mr. Meson. And I will. He took classes while detained. But it was a well-run and deadly conspiracy.

Judge Failla: I will sentence Mr. Meson to 108 months. Then four years of supervised release.

 Back on December 2, 2020 after lawyers' arguments about the ability to review discovery while in lockdown, Judge Failla put questions to Meson himself, with his counsel's consent. 

  Meson explained how in 7 South they are let out of their cells only from 7 am to 7:30 am, three days a week. Sixteen inmates compete for a single computer.  

  His lawyer described a fire; the Assistant US Attorney blamed it on a prisoner using a light bulb outlet to charge a cell phone -- contraband. Later the AUSA said that was just his understanding. 

  A decision earlier in the pandemic by EDNY Judge Garaufis was cited. And on December 7, the decision to free Meson on bond.

The case is US v. Tavarez, et al., 19-cr-690 (Failla)

***

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