AG busts major Capital Region drug ring

Five Albany County residents have been arrested for their roles in a heroin and cocaine ring based in the Capital Region, state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo announced today.

The four-month investigation -- dubbed "Operation Mansion Hill" -- was headed by the AG's Organized Crime Task Force and the Albany Police Department and resulted in the seizure of nearly 100 grams of cocaine with a street value of around $9,000, along with three semi-automatic pistols and $12,000 in cash.

According to Cuomo, 29-year-old Steven Fletcher and 32-year-old Ebony Jones, both of Ravena, were leaders of a drug distributiion ring that obtained narcotics from both local and New York City suppliers, including 28-year-old Antonio Heard of Albany.

The drugs were cut, weighed, packaged and sold throughout the Capital Region by 25-year-old Lance Fletcher and 26-year-old Linda Ross, both of Albany.

All five arrested were charged with felony third-degree sale of a controlled substance and felony fourth-degree conspiracy.

Herd was also indicted for felony criminal sale of a controlled substance in the second degree; Lance Fletcher was additionally charged with multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon.

All defendants except Heard were also charged with misdemeanor second-degree criminal using drug paraphernalia.