News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 16, 2007
Erin Mulvey
Public Information Officer
212 337-2906

Two Year Investigation Leads to Arrest of 13-Year Veteran
of the NY Police Department
Responsible For Drug Pipeline From NYC to Virginia

NOV 16 -- (New York) - JOHN P. GILBRIDE, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division Drug Enforcement Administration and New York City Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan announced today the arrest and indictment of New York City Police Department Detective James Calderon (age 40) on charges of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree and Conspiracy in the Second Degree. Calderon is a 13-year veteran of the Police Department currently assigned to the Bronx courthouse. The indictment follows a two-year investigation into a Bronx based multi-kilogram crack/cocaine and heroin organization. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), the New York City Police Department Internal Affairs Bureau (“IAB”), and the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor. In total, multiple kilograms of cocaine and heroin, a kilogram press, crack vials, and over $4,000 were seized during the course of the investigation. Information developed during the investigation revealed that Calderon transported multi-kilogram shipments of cocaine from New York City to drug traffickers in Virginia. Calderon was arrested in the Bronx at 7 a.m. this morning by a team of IAB detectives and DEA agents. If convicted, Calderon faces a sentence of up to 20 years in state prison on the possession charge and 8 1/3 to 25 years on the conspiracy charge. The defendant will be arraigned on the indictment on November 16, 2007 before Judge Lewis Bart Stone at 100 Centre Street, Part 60, New York, New York 10013.

Others charged in the indictment include Jorge Mendoza (age 37), on charges of Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree and Conspiracy in the Second Degree, and Patricia Vargas (age 31) on the charge of Conspiracy in the Second Degree. Vargas will also be arraigned on the indictment today along with Calderon.