Hide Article Text (OCR)
Continued from Page A 1 ‘Juana for him, is scheduled to turn himself into federal author ties this week. In an interview with reporters in his rented house on George Street in Lambertville, N.J., across the river from New Hope, Butrymowicz said he stored drugs for Velasco in North Wales, Montgomery County, where he lived in 1986. Still, he said his involvement in ilegal activities with Velasco “was very little, and a long time go” Plus, he said, “I did have a slight problem with drugs then,” . A chance meeting in a New ‘Rope bar indirectly linked Butry mowics and Velasco. Butrymow icz was in the bar watching a World Series game in the mid 1980, when he set another pa tron struck up a conversation. The man, whom Butrymowicz did not identify, asked him to ‘drive a car to Miami for him. He ‘agreed to do it, he said, because he had to do was drive. “It was like a vacation, Butry smowicz recalled. It was in Miami that Butry mowicz met Velasco. Soon after, he says, Velasco started spending time in the New s area where he met Levitan . Butrymowicz says he ended his involvement with Velasco's drug operation but maintained the friendship, sometimes attending ‘birthday parties at Levitan’s and Velasco's condominium. “I am very close to him, as a ‘friend, and at one point I ended ‘up owing him some money. He save Mine for it,” Butrymowicz said. ‘I like the guy as a person I don't approve of what he did. I don't appreciate seeing kids on drugs. This country's got enough “problems as it is.” Butrymowicz said he has spo ken with investigators and plans to show up at his arraignment in federal court in Philadelphia this week. “They're going to give me a hard time,” he said. “They might even put me in jail for a little while, but I think it will all work out for the best His involvement with Velasco's alleged $100 million drug enter Bree hasn't made him rich, he said, “If I made a hundredth of that, I'd be a millionaire,” he said ‘But look at me.” He earns money working in the construction industry, repairing cars and making jewelry in the basement of his modest apart ment, he said. On Thursday, he was shaping fish earrings for the spring Shad Festival held annual ly along the Delaware River. In exchange for part of his rental cost, he renovates the house where he resides. “That stuff happened before 1990. I've changed my lifestyle,” he said, his voice wavering. They say you can't shake the past.” The indictment indicates Bu trymowics's Involvement With Velasco's drug operation was as recent as November 1992. Prose cutors allege he received approxi mately 40 pounds of marijuana from Velasco, which he then dis tributed to Harry Brill. Brill, 37, a self employed land scaper from Coventry Court, So lebury Township, is accused in the Indictment of being a midc level distributor. He refused to discuss the case with a reporter. “My attorney advised me not to,” he said. “I would love to. The indictment details an in ternational drug operation or ginating in Colombia, South America, and moving through Puerto Rico, Miami, New York and then Bucks County. It do t his scenario: Velasco's contact in New York was 38-year-old Roy Wainer of Manhattan. Weiner, sometimes aided by 69-year-old Joseph DeCosta of New York, delivered drugs for Velasco from Manhat tan a dealer in Warminster. The Warminster dealer then dis tributed the drugs to other deal ers in Bucks County. Law enforcement authorities are protecting the identity of the dealer in Wartminster because he became a cooperating witness in the case, authorities said. He is in custody on other drug charges From 1986 to November 1993, as much as 132 pounds of co caine and 850 pounds of man Juana were distributed to dealers in Bucks County through Velas co's organization, said U.S. Attor ney Robert Goldman, a former prosecutor in Bucks County. Levitan, 30, who has family in Bucks County, helped Velasco distribute cocaine, dispose of drug money and collect drug money from customers, authori ties allege. She Velasco's daughter, who's now 6, and often referred to herself as Velasco's wife. Levitan and her daughter resid ed full time in the upscale Water works condominium on South Main Street. To her neighbors, she appeared quiet but not unu sual She dressed canallys wait ed with her daughter for the school bus and walked her tiny dog through the flower beds at the front of the building. Though police surveillance placed Velasco in New Hope fre- Quently, neighbors perceived Lev itan as a single mother. According to Waterworks de veloper Tom Scannapiece, only Levitan's name appeared on the condominium lease. But police contend Velasco financed the rental payments. Velasco's and Levitan’s rela tionship declined steadily in the past six months and Velasco's visits to New Hope grew scarce, said Zimmerman, the New Hope detective. A month ago, federal DEA agents seized the maroon Laxus which Levitan drove. The car is impounded, Levitan was arraigned in feder al court Friday afternoon on con spiracy charges. She was re leased on $50,000 bail secured by the posting of her grandparents' home in Warminster She re qusseted a public defender handle or case Federal authorities expect Bril and Butrymowicz to turn them selves in at a federal arraignment this week. Brill is charged with conspiracy and obstruction of justice, Butrymowiez is charged with conspiracy Velasco is charged under the “kingpin” statute for running a “continuing criminal enterprise.” He and Weiner also are charged with seven counts of distribution of cocaine. If convicted, Levitan, Brill and Butrymowicz face sentences of up to life imprisonment A con viction on the conspiracy charges alone cartes a mandatory mini mum term of 10 years'imprison ment. Velasco faces a mandatory life sentence on the “kingpin” urge. Velasco was arrested March 8 in New York on charges of traf ficking heroin. He is being held without Dailon federal prison. New Hope police chief Brob son said the local portion of the investigation consumed hundreds of hours. More than $10,000 in drug forfeiture money from the Bucks County District Attorney's Office helped finance it. Police departments i New Hope, Solebury and Doylestown Township aided federal and state investigators. The case will not end with last week's indictment. Brabson said, I do expect more to take place 85 a result of this,” he said, but declined to elaborate. “The inves tigation is not over. 'T like to go as high as you can in a drug organization, and r d aie to see it go higher than it went.”
Newspaper Details
Doylestown Intelligencer
Doylestown, Pennsylvania, US
Sun, Apr 10, 1994
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Shane T.
USA 18 Jun 2026
Other Publications Near Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Doylestown Intelligencer
Intelligencer
Doylestown Daily Intelligencer
