Michael Rodriguez, the former director of the group Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence (B.R.A.G.), was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Jan. 4 in Orange County after pleading guilty to narcotics and conspiracy charges.
Back in October 2023, Rodriguez, 49, of Yonkers, pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree and conspiracy in the second degree. Based on the plea deal, in addition to his prison term, he will serve five years of post-release supervision and will forfeit a car, as well as $165,000.
“The significant sentence imposed in this case is justified based on the appalling conduct of a person who claimed to advocate for reduction in gun violence,” Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler said in a statement.
Rodriguez was originally busted in July 2023 as part of a two-year drug investigation by the City of Middletown Police Department and Orange County Drug Taskforce. The investigation originally targeted Angelica Rodriguez (no relation), who had long been suspected of running a drug ring in the county.
In the course of the investigation, Angelica Rodriguez’s phone was tapped and authorities discovered that Michael Rodriguez was the main supplier of cocaine to her and another individual, Taino Lopez, who resold the drugs.
Authorities searched Michael Rodriguez’s residence in Yonkers on July 26 and found two unlicensed guns, over 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, and $165,509 in cash, plus other drug paraphernalia and jewelry. Rodriguez was one of 15 people arrested as a result of the multi-agency investigation.
B.R.A.G., which Rodriguez once helped lead, is a well-known anti-violence group in the Bronx run by Good Shepherd Services. It also received citywide recognition and public funds, as Mayor Eric Adams listed B.R.A.G. as a “community partner” on his 2022 Blueprint to End Gun Violence.
The Bronx Times reached out to B.R.A.G. and left a message but did not receive a response before press time.
Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark’s office did not return request for comment on Wednesday, but at the time of Rodriguez’s arrest, she said in a statement to the Bronx Times that the charges were “shocking” and “the exact opposite of the good work cure violence groups are doing.”
“This defendant had no qualms endangering vulnerable members of our community to benefit himself,” said Hoover. “I hope that the sentence will be a deterrent to those considering any similar conduct.”
Reach Emily Swanson at eswanson@schnepsmedia.com or (646) 717-0015. For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
