12 charged with running LI marijuana ring

Twelve people were charged Friday with running a marijuana distribution ring on Long Island, allegedly headed by two of them who were on probation from federal convictions for distributing cocaine, officials said.

A third alleged mastermind of the ring was out on bail awaiting sentencing on a conviction in a gang-related assault with a firearm, according to officials and court papers. He had met one of the other leaders while in prison, court papers said.

The ring distributed several hundred pounds of marijuana on Long Island that was imported from Canada between March and November of last year, according to court papers. The charges came after an investigation by federal officials and Nassau County police.

The ringleaders were identified in court papers as Dominick Curatola, 34, of Holbrook; Michael Decresenzo, 34, of Coram; and German Chajchic. Chajchic's age and residence were not clear Friday.

Curatola and Decresenzo were on probation following federal jail sentences for conspiracy to distribute cocaine, according to court papers.

The indictment said Chajchic met Curatola while they were in prison and was out on bail awaiting sentencing in the gang-related assault case. Curatola's attorney, William Collado, of Brentwood, declined to comment. Attorneys for Decresenzo and Chajchic could not be reached for comment.

Curatola, Decresenzo and Chajchic are scheduled to be arraigned in the coming weeks. Another six defendants were arraigned Friday in federal court in Central Islip on charges of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, with four ordered held and two released on bail. All six pleaded not guilty.

Two others were arraigned in federal court in Connecticut. The status of the remaining defendant was not clear Friday.

The investigation involved hundreds of hours of intercepted telephone conversations and text messages in which several of the defendants used coded messages to discuss marijuana deals, federal officials said.

The indictment said that Curatola at one point sent a text message that read, "Can get u ak47 tomo but its 46." Federal officials said the references were to a high grade of marijuana called "ak47" - presumably after the automatic weapon - which would cost $4,600 a pound.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Capwell and Nassau County Assistant District Attorney Joseph Dompkowski, who are jointly prosecuting the case, declined to comment.