Suspended corrections officer pleads guilty to sale of narcotics

White Plains -- Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced that Michael Gray, 43, of Hawthorne, pled guilty Wednesday to one count of attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, and one count of promoting prison contraband in the first degree, both felonies.

Gray was involved in a cocaine and other illegal narcotics distribution network operating in the Bronx and Westchester with numerous other individuals, including Jason Mandera, in 2005. Gray is accused of selling cocaine to at least one other county correction officer as well as bringing cocaine into the Westchester County Jail in August 2005.

A year long multi-agency task force investigation which included Westchester County District Attorney Investigators, New York State Police, New York City Police, Yonkers Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Attorney's Office, Hastings-on-Hudson Police, Westchester County Corrections, Larchmont Police, Elmsford Police, White Plains Police, Mount Pleasant Police and Pelham and Pelham Manor Police.

On December 6, 2005, numerous wiretaps and search warrants were executed throughout the Bronx and Westchester County for illegal weapons and cocaine.

A shoot-out commenced while police were serving the warrants in which Michael Londonio, 28, was killed and two members of the New York State Police were wounded. Londonio headed a drug ring that engaged in millions of dollars worth of drug trafficking. Jason Mandara and John Tomero, 32, of the Bronx took part in the drug trafficking.

Police recovered eight loaded handguns, a hand grenade, two ounces of cocaine, over $25,000 in drug proceeds, two fake Security Enforcement Agent shields and several ski masks from Londonio’s residence.

Police seized over a kilogram of cocaine and a handgun inside of Tomero's residence.

Juan Agramonte, 41, of the Bronx, has been indicted for Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree and other crimes.

Gray will be sentenced in June.