A former Times Square drug trafficker, Johnny "Ghost" Perez, has returned to the streets after receiving a commuted sentence from President Biden in January. Perez, 32, was originally sentenced to eight years for his role in a 24/7 crack cocaine operation. He was among 2,500 federal inmates whose sentences were commuted by Biden on January 17th.
The operation, which ran from at least December 2019 to August 2021, was described by authorities as a "$10,000-a-week, around-the-clock open-air bazaar" located at 43rd Street and Eighth Avenue. Perez reportedly managed the second shift of this operation.
At the time of the 2021 arrests, then-U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss emphasized the commitment to preventing Times Square from returning to its "seedy" past. The operation involved two shifts, with Aaron Starks frequently overseeing the first and Perez the second.
Law enforcement seized drugs and cash during the raid. (NYPD)
President Biden granted clemency to over 3,000 individuals in his final days in office, including members of his own family. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Confiscated crack cocaine from the Times Square operation. (NYPD)
