Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York | Department of Justice
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced on April 14 that Kareem Antoine Turner and Alexander Daravina were arrested on charges related to operating a fentanyl manufacturing facility in a residential apartment building in Brooklyn. The two men were taken into custody on April 13 and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker, who ordered their detention.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about the impact of illegal fentanyl production and distribution in New York City neighborhoods. Authorities say such operations not only threaten public health but also put residents at risk due to the presence of dangerous drugs and firearms.
"As alleged, Kareem Turner and Alexander Daravina ran an industrial-scale pill mill in a Brooklyn apartment, pumping deadly fentanyl pills onto the streets of New York in mass quantities," said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. "Fentanyl is poison. It kills New Yorkers every day. If you are dealing in fentanyl, you are dealing in death. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will use all resources available to give New Yorkers what they want and what they deserve: the destruction of these deadly factories and their operators in federal prison."
Special Agent Farhana Islam from the Drug Enforcement Administration said: "These individuals allegedly transformed an apartment into a fentanyl processing plant: mixing, pressing, and packaging fentanyl alongside other deadly narcotics with absolutely no regard for the health and safety of their neighbors." Islam added that agents seized equipment capable of producing thousands of pills per hour as well as two kilo press machines during the investigation.
Michael Alfonso from Homeland Security Investigations said: "For years, HSI New York special agents and investigators have confronted the devastating impacts of fentanyl and other illicit narcotics... These arrests are a stark reminder that these crimes are not just numbers on a page, but direct threats to the public's safety and well-being." He emphasized continued cooperation among agencies to address such threats.
According to allegations contained in court documents, Turner and Daravina converted an apartment into what authorities called a "Pill Mill," equipped with industrial machinery used for large-scale drug production. Agents recovered kilograms of suspected narcotics—some testing positive for fentanyl—as well as loaded firearms hidden inside speakers during their search.
Both defendants face charges including conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl—which carries mandatory minimum sentences—and firearm offenses related to drug trafficking crimes. Sentencing guidelines specify mandatory minimums but final decisions rest with the judge if convictions occur.
Clayton praised law enforcement partners involved in this investigation while noting that all charges remain allegations until proven otherwise.
