York police, feds to law-breakers: ‘We will come and get you’

 

Seven men and women have been indicted after a 6-month York investigation known as “Operation Ratchet Fire.”

At a news conference on Thursday, the message from local and federal authorities for those who choose to bring violence to the streets of York was sharp and direct: “We will come and get you.” 

The words were said by Philadelphia ATF Agent-in-charge Don Robinson, but echoed by all of the officials who gathered there.

Off to the side in the York City Council chambers, were the results of a six-month drug and gun investigation known as “Operation Ratchet Fire” — 16 guns, heroin, cocaine and marijuana arrayed on tables — along with the mug shots of seven men and women indicted on charges.

As far as how the operation got its name, detectives there explained that “ratchet” was street slang for guns, while “fire” is a word for drugs on the street.

Arrested in the operation were Francisco River-Rivera, 26; Axel Pena-Reyes, 24; Jessica Curet, 37; Christopher Cruz-Ortiz, 23; Jaiell Montalvo, 19; Deondre Densby, 35; and Edwin Gabrial Ramos-Reyes, 37, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney David Freed’s office.

The seven, all of York, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Harrisburg in two separate indictments on April 25. The crimes, involving drug trafficking and illegal gun possession, were allegedly committed in York County between November 2017 and April, the news release states.

The maximum federal penalty for trafficking heroin or cocaine is 20 years imprisonment, while a defendant can receive up to 10 years for illegal gun possession, according to the release.

The arrests are one example of an ongoing effort by city, county and federal authorities to combat violence in York, specifically by getting guns off the streets.

“Although we had a 50 percent reduction in persons being shot in 2017, we only had a slight reduction in actual guns being used … indicating that the guns remained in our community and in the hands of those who intend to use them illegally,” York City Police Chief Troy Bankert said. 

This is not the first time local authorities have partnered with federal agents. In 2015, 12 members of York’s Southside gang, whose members were tied to at least a half dozen murders and other violent crimes throughout the last decade, were convicted in a racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracy case in federal court.

Freed described the relationship between local and federal law enforcement as strong and said it would continue to be, saying, “We’re here to stay; we’re not going anywhere.”

He also said that law enforcement was pursuing a small, but very active, minority, whereas the majority of city residents follow the law and just want to lead peaceful lives.

“Even in the neighborhood that people would say is a bad neighborhood … the vast majority of people in that neighborhood are law-abiding citizens and all those citizens want is to be left alone to live their lives and raise their family in safety,” he said. 

Mayor Michael Helfrich then spoke, mentioning York’s Group Violence Initiative and stressed that in addition to the work of law enforcement, he was very focused on helping those in the community who need it.

“If you come to us and want to partner with us,  I don’t care where you were before, we can help get you to a new future,” he said. “We need your help (and) we’re here to help you.”

 

This story comes to us through a partnership between WITF and The York Daily Record.