Husband of top aide to New York Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie busted on cocaine conspiracy charges
Drug-smuggling suspect Orlando Dennis — whose wife is a top aide to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie — leaves Brooklyn Federal Court on Monday.
Drug-smuggling suspect Orlando Dennis — whose wife is a top aide to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie — leaves Brooklyn Federal Court on Monday. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News)
The husband of a top aide to one of New York’s most powerful politicians was busted Monday on federal charges that he orchestrated a $100,000 cocaine shipment to Kennedy Airport.
Orlando Dennis, 31 — whose wife is chief of staff to state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie — was freed on $150,000 bail after his arraignment in Brooklyn Federal Court on charges he conspired to import cocaine.
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If convicted on the most serious charge, Dennis would face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison. A prosecutor called Dennis a flight risk.
Dennis, a delivery truck driver from the Bronx — the borough which is Heastie’s political base — was nabbed when he arrived at the airport from Jamaica on Monday morning.
Jevanni Brooks on the phone outside Brooklyn Federal Court.
Jevanni Brooks on the phone outside Brooklyn Federal Court. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News)
Jevonni Brooks-Dennis, who was present when her husband was arrested but is not charged in the case, sat in the back of the courtroom during her husband’s hearing. Sources said there is no evidence she knew of her husband’s alleged scheme.
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Brooklyn Federal Judge Lois Bloom noted Brooks-Dennis’ high-level job as she set Dennis’ bail. “You have to understand that your wife has a very accomplished job, and this will have ramifications for her career,” Bloom told Dennis.
“There’s a road ahead that’s going to be a hard road,” Bloom said. “You are so lucky you have someone who is willing to drop everything and put her whole salary on the line, which I’m sure she works her butt off for as chief of staff.”
Brooks-Dennis — who wore sweats and a black scarf — took notes until Bloom called her forward to sign the bond agreement.
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“This is exactly what you don’t need,” the judge said.
Brooks-Dennis declined to answer reporters’ questions.
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“The Speaker does not know anything about this,” Heastie’s spokesman Michael Whyland said. “You should reach out to Mr. Dennis’s attorney.”
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“This isn’t someone who had drugs in his stomach through desperation. This is someone who was organizing hundreds of thousands of dollars of cocaine,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Siegel said.
Dennis’ arrest is connected to the bust in August of two Kennedy Airport baggage handlers who botched their role in the plot.
The baggage handlers on June 7 failed to intercept a suitcase stuffed with 3.5 kilos of cocaine that was shipped to Kennedy on a Caribbean Airlines flight from Montego Bay, Jamaica. The cocaine would be worth around $100,000 on the street.
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No one claimed the bag in customs, according to court papers, but investigators found the woman whose name was on the tag. She was cleared of any wrongdoing when her actual bag was found at the airport later that night.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (left) with his chief of staff Jevonni Brooks-Dennis (right). Brooks-Dennis’ husband was busted Monday on charges he conspired to smuggle cocaine to the U.S. from Jamaica.
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (left) with his chief of staff Jevonni Brooks-Dennis (right). Brooks-Dennis’ husband was busted Monday on charges he conspired to smuggle cocaine to the U.S. from Jamaica. (Twitter)
The baggage handlers, Ryan Smalling and William Brown, both employees of Swissport International, were later arrested.
Court papers revealed frantic text messages between Smalling and Brown, with Smalling saying an unidentified “they” accused the handlers of stealing the cocaine and threatened to kill them.
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“They act like we dont want 2 get paid…are they f—–g serious,” Brown wrote back.
Prosecutors say Dennis threatened to kill one of his co-conspirators in the bungled smuggling try, citing WhatsApp and audio messages that contained menacing missives. Court papers say Dennis admitting making a call to one of the other suspects, and admitted knowing that he was a narcotics trafficker.
But Dennis’ lawyer, Calvin Scholar, said prosecutors lack evidence to prove a death threat. “There are no recordings of any statements of threat made,” he said.
Jevanni Brooks (right) and Orlando Dennis as they leave Brooklyn Federal Court.
Jevanni Brooks (right) and Orlando Dennis as they leave Brooklyn Federal Court. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News)
Smalling and Brown pleaded guilty to cocaine importation charges last month and are awaiting sentencing.
Scholar called the arrest a “trying time for the family” and insisted Dennis is not guilty of the charges.
“All we can do is fight the case, defend the case and make sure that the right person is charged, he said. ”Just because somebody is arrested doesn’t mean they’re actually guilty.”
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“He’ll be going home tonight. At least that’s some relief — that he’ll at least be going home tonight,” Scholar said.
He said Brooks-Dennis and Heastie have no role involvement in the allegations.
“She doesn’t have anything to do with any of the charges in the complaint, and neither does the speaker. It’s totally unrelated,” Scholar said.
Denis I suggest you start selling all your properties in New York and start investing in Jamaica. Because I’m confident you’ll be charged. Once the FEDS hit those charges, there’s no way you can win them, especially if they have a 12 member jury. Remember the state doesn’t like to lose, so does the FEDS.
TAKE HEEDINGS please and thanks in advance.
You may not be able to beat them, but they can be beaten when intelligence and money a spend. Living testament a dat.
oh really, the feds have a 90% winning history you do not win them. dont confuse feds with state crime. he will not break this one, remember flippa. didnt they say if convicted he faces 5 years, well he can go to trial and do 5 years and get over it
Prayers goes out to him and his family.
Oh gigi, let this fellow go!
You can still join the church like your cousin Dominique who is flourishing and get yourself a respectable husband. You don’t need this guy to jeopardize your career and the custody of your child if any items are found in your marital home.
For better or worse
She always had a big job, she just didn’t brag about it..
den a suh fi har social life sad dat she end up marrying a low-life thug?
Disgraceful and damn greedy wid a wife in a high profile position or dem finances nuh too good? Will she value career ova him (their marriage)
She knew he was selling like come on they don’t drive cheap cars or wear cheap clothes. He always flossing in the parties like he is a “rich man” it makes sense now he is a cocaine seller lol
She definitely knows and is enjoying the benefits of the drug trafficking. She knows how much a truck driver makes and her income, which is not so great as the chief of staff for a New York State Assembly.
Next time lady get smaddy that have summen in common wid u n no make it be all about sex. Dat boy is a dutty lowlife crowbait.
Hahahahha, yuh kno how lang mi nuh hear dah word deh crowbait lol
Nuh Flippa big friend this.
A she go him papers? Fckin greedy go yard fi Xmas lef him wife, A mus someone call him name..Dem mussa all following him dung DEH
.he had an organization..a dat judge a say to RASS. She gwine lose her RASS job
…..” but investigators found the woman whose name was on the tag. She was cleared of any wrongdoing when her actual bag was found at the airport later that night.”
“They” checked in drugs under a friend of mine name in Montego Bay because she had no checked in luggage, only a carryon luggage. At her destination, two pieces of luggage was unclaimed and kept going around on the “carousel” and when they were searched it contained a large amount of cocaine. They let it thru to go to another area of the airport and would you know it, two people showed up to claim the luggage and was arrested.
About three 4 moths later the FEDs showed up at her door inquiring about her knowledge of those two suitcases. She told them she did not check in any luggage and they more or less knew what happens. Bottom line, one or more of those ticket agent at the airport, checked in those luggages under her name when they realize she did check in any luggage. Those two pieces of luggage were supposed to be intercepted by baggage handlers and they did not. Those two pieces of luggage contained a large amount of cocaines, not 3.5 Kilo.
In this case, the lady checked in luggage and they did use her name to check in the luggage with the drugs.
Did bwoy is a plum fool but don’t know why anyone surprised that Gigi pick him up. She been on the NY dancehall scene from how long. I’m more surprised that him a move so careless knowing the ramifications for her career. I had no idea Gigi have big job now.
She always had a big job, she just didn’t brag about it..
Craven puppy ALWAYS choke!
That girl better hope a forensic accountant don’t implicate har backside. Tom drunk, but him no fool.
Talk all unuh want Shawn is a great man to Gigi and his family stop bashing ppl it was just a simple mistake nothing is waste about him he’s a amazing kind out going person.
OK Gigi, if you say so. I have never met a kind drug dealer. The will buy a US$1 million car at sticker price to impress the car salesman, yet kill you for a $1 if you owe him and cannot pay him or refuse to pay you $10 for work you do for him. A bunch a selfish pricks.
The guys couldn’t collect the drugs off the plane for whatever reason and he start threaten their lives saying they stole the drugs. STFU.
GG knew of his “career” don’t be fooled just like she knows about the bun he be giving her left to right lmaooooooo she love hype life style. They married to help him with his papers. She had a daughter from him. I was pregnant too but I was smart enough to do the right thing. He is a liar and a fraud. He finds girls to use for his “business” GG knows it too. But he fucks them and buy them clothes. He was fucking Shawna lee who is nordisha aka suwayne gyal who is a fool as well.
He’s a great person no matter what
Lock him the fuck up and dash away the keys. These bum ass drug dealers love floss pon regular people like dem shit swet. All she ah work for government official and her man is a top druggist. Dutty fucks.
You anonymous 3:23 shut the fuck up … you sound dumb as fuck … bad mind .. bout the girl ago loose har job …. shut the fuck …
Gigi always goes for hype man. Popeye she use to run down and him never want her. She use to buy him clothes and spend pon him and him still never leave nicky for her..Dominique is my girl love how she change her life and open her store married and leave dancehall alone. Gigi ways a run down hype. The husband did deh a jamaica a hype in a party a dash wey money like him a Bill Gates. I hope him get prison time just fi in a dancehall elite.Couple more a dem a go a prison this year. Couple of the regular name dem.. Nuh care how dem get warning over here dem still nuh learn..
This must be extremely embarrassing for her. This social media age of keeping up and leveling up going to wreck many of them. Dem quick to say dem ambitious but is just envious dem envious fi constantly watching what others have and a run out to get it by any means necessary. Posting dem fake lives fi passing glory, like in 100 years anybody going to memba dem was alive. New generation come and teck over di world and dem is as forgotten as the cemeteries weh vines grow up pon and nobody visits anymore.
Leave him alone.he wasn’t doing nothing wrong no one knows what really happen, the media can post all sort of foolishness badmind a beat unuh
Bad mind ppl
Met pls take this down, this is real life, he wasn’t doing nothing wrong but support his family the man have his business so what is y’all fussing about don’t follow di media they tend to make stuff look bad and fabricate ppl life
You are so dense. Was it the media that arrested him for drug trafficking? You must be the wife looking to save your job by suppressing any online report of your husband’s arrest for drugs. Met is NOT taking anything down, since it will have no impact on your man’s arrest for importing cocaine into the US.
Take this down for what. It’s in the news and he is a drug dealer so what’s fake about it
After the wife nuh in a no big job del, she is just an aid and them pretty it up, she is a glorified personal assistant, plus mi Neva hear bout dat black man yet, is not like she werking with a president, gosh. She must know what har man does, if him nuh have no werk n Dem live lavish lifestyle how fi har pay afford all of dat. Come on wife u well n know u man a dirty druggist
The woman earns 148k doing a 9-5 she is not a glorified personal assistant she is a qualified aide which could mean she helps with getting legal documents ready etc.
Anonymous @ 8:47 her income is great $148,000 a year plus bonus come on now majority don’t make that much even if she rent for $20000 a year ..2,000 monthly she can save 80-90 thousand and be a millionaire in 10’-12 years Dem f en greedy
5:30 anonymous
You are dumb
She has the highest position in the office other than the legal counsel she is a chief of staff
I guess you don’t understand she run the office period and I am 100% sure and she has pension benefits and all She is set so I don’t know why she would risk that making 6 figure
Not many have an opportunity to make that much fe a careless boy
That black man is the speaker of the house he is the highest in the Assembly…. and also a Assemblyman
If you are talking about her Boss.
You are very misinformed hun @ 5:30
Facts…. hun her boss is very powerful in Albany
That’s true but they are greedy. The one shipment was almost her years salary. 100,000. I’m sure their flashy lifestyle surpasses that salary by far! The thousands he was throwing in the video?? Crazy!! She needs to run from that one but obviously too late, they are concentrating more on her position than his crime. Sad. Also truck drivers make good money too. If they own tractor a few thousand easy per week.